mini carrot cakes
Happy (almost) Easter! We aren’t exactly celebrating with family this year (that whole social distancing thing, ya know), but I still wanted to be festive. So, I made these super easy mini layered carrot cakes! Sure, they’re delicious and fun to make for Easter. But they are really good any time of year!
I took my carrot cake squares recipe, and halved the recipe. I also substituted the applesauce in the original recipe for greek yogurt in this one. We have a ton of greek yogurt on hand right now, so it just made sense to use that instead of buying more applesauce.
By making only half of the original recipe, the batter fits perfectly onto a half-sized rimmed baking pan. (A half-sized baking sheet is 13″ x 18″. It is rimmed, which means the sides of it come up about one inch.)
The cake bakes in a thinner layer, so it’s easy to cut out small “cakes”. The cakes you see here are made with a 1 1/2″ biscuit cutter.
what frosting should I use for my mini layered carrot cake?
Now, making your own frosting is probably the best way to go here. But if I’m being totally honest, I used store bought frosting for these. However, I have a really delicious cream cheese frosting recipe with the carrot cake squares recipe if you’re in the mood to be super homemade! The quarantine thing has me using everything I can in my pantry, and I had a jar of cream cheese frosting that was begging to be included in this post. 🙂
This batter is so easy to make, and takes almost no time to come together. The longest part of this recipe is the baking time; it bakes for about 30-35 minutes total. Start with baking it for 30 minutes, then check the cake by inserting a toothpick into the very center. If it is clean when you pull it out, your cake is ready. If it comes out with any batter on it, continue to bake the cake in two minute increments until it is all the way done.
Then the cake has to cool in the rimmed baking pan for about 20 minutes, then continue to cool on a wire rack for another 20 minutes. You don’t want the frosting to melt when it’s applied, so that’s why these extra steps are in place.
what should I top my mini layered carrot carrot cake with?
I topped each mini layered carrot cake with freshly grated cinnamon, but I also recommend chopped walnuts, chopped pecans, or pastel sprinkles. Whatever makes you happy, you should use. 🙂
I hope you’re having a wonderful spring, despite the current social situation! If you get the chance to make these mini layered carrot cakes, please tag me on Instagram so I can see your beautiful creation!
<3 Sara
mini layered carrot cake
Equipment
- 13" x 18" x 1" rimmed baking sheet
- parchment paper
- (2) large bowls
- whisk
- rubber spatula
- wire cooling rack
- 1 1/2" biscuit cutter
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp. ground ginger
- 1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp. kosher salt such as Diamond
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup neutral oil such as corn or vegetable
- 1/4 cup greek yogurt
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla
- 1 1/2 cups grated carrot
- cream cheese frosting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F. Spray a rimmed baking sheet (half sheet pan (approximately 13" x 18", and 1" deep sides) with baking spray, then line it with parchment paper. Set aside until ready to use.
- Whisk the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. (Flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, salt.) Set aside.
- In a separate large bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar together. Add the oil, greek yogurt, and vanilla. Whisk until everything is fully blended.
- Slowly add the wet ingredients to the bowl of dry ingredients, whisking as you combine. Once fully blended, use a spatula fold in the grated carrots. Be careful not to overmix.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared rimmed baking sheet, and bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes, until the center is set and the cake is fully baked through.
- Remove from the oven, and allow the cake to cool in the pan for about 20 minutes. Transfer the cake to a wire baking rack, and cool another 20 minutes.
- Once the cake is completely cooled, use a 1 1/2" biscuit cutter to cut circles out of the cake.
- Spread a layer of cream cheese frosting on top of each tiny cake, and set the un-frosted side of one cake on top of the frosted part of another cake, to create two "layers" with frosting in between them.
- Top the "layered" cake with grated cinnamon, chopped walnuts, or sprinkles. Enjoy immediately, or refrigerate in a tightly sealed container for up to a week!
Notes
Nutrition
Tried this recipe?
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Comments & Reviews
The recipe looks perfect! I plan on making some mini cakes in time for Easter. As the greek yogurt was a swap for applesauce in your other recipe, can applesauce be used in this one as well?
That should work, Helen! It may alter the color a little bit, but the flavor and texture should be pretty close to the original! I hope you love it, and please let me know if you have any other questions!
I made these lil cakes today with guidance from Sara about substituting sour cream for the yogurt. Indeed it did worked like a charm. I used a 2” biscuit cutter and made 2 dozen 3 layered cakes. They are delicious and oh so beautiful! Can’t wait to make these again!
I’m SO happy that you enjoyed them so much, Patricia! And connecting with you has been so wonderful! I still want to make that Pumpkin & Cream Cheese Roll-Up that you’ve always made – thank you again for sending that!