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    Home » Recipe Archive » Cakes & Cupcakes

    Published: Feb 23, 2022 · Modified: Apr 18, 2022 by Sloane · This post may contain affiliate links · 13 Comments

    Mini Carrot Cake with Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting

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    This moist mini carrot cake recipe makes two 6-inch layers decorated with a swoon-worthy brown butter cream cheese frosting!

    mini carrot cake with brown butter cream cheese frosting cut to reveal inside
    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • FAQ
    • Other cake recipes you'll love
    • Baking in grams
    • 💬 Reviews

    This small carrot cake recipe is just what you need when you're in the mood for cake, but still need to get your veggies in😉. This cake comes together in a flash - all you need are two bowls, a whisk, and a bit of patience as it bakes! It bakes up beautifully moist and packed full of warm spices. Oh and the brown butter cream cheese frosting?! You will be fighting the urge to eat it by the spoonful. It's so dang good. 

    close-up of top of small carrot cake

    Ingredients

    • All-Purpose Flour: You'll need about 2 ½ cups of flour.
    • Leaveners: You'll need both baking powder and baking soda to give this cake the perfect rise.
    • Spices: I used a combination of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves.
    • Oil: Use any neutral oil, like vegetable, canola, or light tasting olive oil.
    • Sugars: You'll need both granulated sugar and brown sugar to add the right amount of sweetness and moisture to this cake. 
    • Eggs: You'll need 2 large eggs at room temperature.
    • Freshly Grated Carrots: You'll need about 2 ¼ cups of carrots, which is roughly 4-5 large carrots.
    • Nuts: Add chopped pecans or walnuts (or really any other extra) if you'd like!
    • Cream Cheese: Be sure to use cold cream cheese when making the frosting.
    • Brown Butter: You'll need 227g or 1 cup of solid, room temperature brown butter. Start with at least 270g of unsalted butter to make the brown butter. 
    • Powdered Sugar: Add as much or as little powdered sugar as you would like depending on your preference of sweetness. I suggest no more than 3 cups or 340g.
    ingredients for small carrot cake recipe

    Instructions

    Step 1: Make the cake batter as directed. 

    Step 2: Bake the cakes for about 45 minutes. Allow them to cool completely on a wire rack. 

    Step 3: Make the brown butter cream cheese frosting as directed. I recommend making the brown butter the day before so it has time to solidify again. 

    batter in 6 inch cake pans
    cake layers cooling on wire rack
    brown butter cream cheese frosting in glass bowl

    Step 4: Using a 3 tablespoon cookie scoop, spread 3 scoops of frosting to the first layer.

    Step 5: Add the second cake layer on top and two more scoops of frosting.

    Step 6: Finish decorating the cake as desired. I chose a semi-naked look, but there is enough frosting for a thicker layer on the sides. 

    cream cheese frosting spread onto first cake layer
    two carrot cake layers with cream cheese frosting
    6 inch carrot cake decorated with cream cheese frosting
    small carrot cake with cream cheese frosting topped with pecans on white wooden board

    FAQ

    How to bake flat cakes:

    Cakes may dome in the middle when they bake because the outside bakes faster than the center, so the center has more time to rise. This is not ideal for layer cakes, because it is a pain to have to trim away the top of the cake. The reverse creaming method helps with baking perfectly flat cake layers. But the best way to ensure your cake layers bake up flat rather than doming is to use cake strips. Soak the cake strips in cold water before wrapping around the outside of the cake pans. This will ensure that the outside of the cake does not bake faster than the center.

    How to make a study, pipeable cream cheese frosting?

    To make a cream cheese frosting that is smooth enough to decorate a cake, but sturdy enough to support thick cake layers I use 1 stick of butter for every ¾ block of cream cheese. Add as much or as little powdered sugar as you would like depending on your preference of sweetness. For this recipe, I suggest at least 2 ½ cups or 282g.

    Can I make this cake ahead of time?

    You can make the cake layers the day before (or even earlier), then freeze them overnight, and decorate the next day. This allows you to skip the crumb coat and makes it so much easier to frost. Just leave the cake out for a couple hours at room temperature before serving.

    small carrot cake recipe with brown butter cream cheese frosting topped with pecans
    small carrot cake with two slices stacked

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    • chocolate malt cake cut into squares on parchment paper.
      Dark Chocolate Malt Snack Cake
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    mini carrot cake with brown butter cream cheese frosting with one slice cut
    slice of small carrot cake on white plate

    Baking in grams

    All of the recipes on this blog are carefully developed to create incredibly delicious baked goods that you can easily recreate in your own kitchen with success. The only way this is possible is to standardize the way ingredients are measured - by weight. Volume measurements are extremely inaccurate and leave room for significant errors. Not all measuring cups are made equally, so your one cup of flour will be different from my one cup of flour. By providing precise measurements in grams (aside from minor ingredients, which are given in tsp/tbsp), I can ensure that you can make the recipe accurately and with less cleanup! All you need is this kitchen scale. 

    If this still isn't enough to convince you, I have provided volume measurements in the recipe card. If you are interested in understanding the conversions, this is the best conversion chart.

    But trust me, once you try baking in grams you'll never turn back!

    Happy baking! x

    mini carrot cake with brown butter cream cheese frosting cut to reveal inside
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    Mini Carrot Cake with Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting

    This moist mini carrot cake recipe makes two 6-inch layers decorated with a swoon-worthy brown butter cream cheese frosting!
    Prep Time 1 hour hr
    Cook Time 45 minutes mins
    Servings2 layer 6-inch cake
    Coursecake
    CuisineAmerican
    AuthorSloane
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    For the carrot cake:

    • 200 g 1 â…” cup all-purpose flour
    • 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
    • ½ teaspoon baking soda
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • 2 teaspoon cinnamon
    • 1 teaspoon ginger
    • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
    • ¼ teaspoon allspice
    • ¼ teaspoon cloves
    • 132 g â…” cup neutral oil
    • 213 g 1 cup brown sugar
    • 66 g â…“ cup granulated sugar
    • 2 eggs, room temp
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla
    • 250 g 2 ¼ cup not packed grated carrots (about 4-5)
    • 85 g ½ cup finely chopped pecans*

    For the brown butter cream cheese frosting:

    • 227 g 1 cup brown butter (solid, room temp)*
    • 12 oz 1 ½ blocks cream cheese (cold)
    • 282-340 g 2 ½ - 3 cups powdered sugar

    Instructions

    For the carrot cake:

    • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and line two 6-inch cake pans with parchment paper.
    • In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices. Set aside.
    • In a large bowl, whisk together the oil and sugars until fully combined.
    • Add in the vanilla and eggs, fully incorporating each before adding the next.
    • Fold the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined.
    • Then, fold in the grated carrots and pecans.
    • Divide the batter between the prepared cake pans.
    • Bake the cakes for about 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
    • Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 15 min, then turn them out onto wire racks to cool completely.

    For the brown butter cream cheese frosting:

    • Start by browning enough butter to account for water evaporation. You'll need 227g of brown butter, so start with at least 270g.
    • To brown the butter, in a small saucepan, heat the butter over medium heat for several minutes, swirling to even out the color. The butter will be ready once the fat solids have separated and darkened, and the butter is an even medium amber color.
    • Transfer to a bowl and place in the fridge to solidify again.
    • Once the brown butter is solid, yet soft, stir to mix in all of the browned bits that have settled at the bottom.
    • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and brown butter on high speed until smooth.
    • Slowly add the powdered sugar in and beat until fully combined.
    • Continue beating on low speed until no more lumps remain and the frosting is smooth.

    For assembly:

    • Secure the first cake layer on the cake stand with a small amount of frosting on the bottom. Use a cookie or ice cream scoop to measure out the frosting for each layer. I used a 3 tablespoon cookie scoop and put 3 scoops of frosting on each layer.
    • Place the second cake layer on top and spread 2, 3 tablespoons of buttercream on top.
    • Spread a thin layer of frosting all around the outside of the cake for a semi-naked look.*
    • Then, decorate the cake with the remaining frosting as desired. I used a star Ateco 865 for the top decoration and finished with chopped pecans.

    Notes

    • If adding pecans, be sure to chop them very finely. Big pieces will make it a little difficult to cut the cake.
    • For the brown butter, start with at least 270g of unsalted butter.
    • Be sure to account for the time of waiting for the brown butter to re-solidify. I recommend making it the day before and chilling it in the fridge overnight.
    • The frosting recipe does make enough if you'd like to decorate the cake with a thicker layer of frosting on the sides.
    • You can make the cake layers the day before (or even earlier), then freeze them overnight, and decorate the next day. This allows you to skip the crumb coat and makes it so much easier to frost. Just leave the cake out for a couple hours at room temperature before serving.
    Tried this recipe?Tag @sloanes.table on Instagram and write a star review below!
    « Brown Butter Cardamom Cinnamon Rolls
    Brownie Blondies »

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Aleigha says

      April 11, 2023 at 7:02 am

      I made this cake for Easter and it was a huge hit. I had a crowd to feed to I doubled the recipe and did 3 8inch cakes. It made a big, tall 3 layer cake. I had some mascarpone cheese on hand I needed to use so I subbed 8oz of that for some of the cream cheese. You know that scene in Mrs. Doubtfire when he face plants into the cake and is covered in frosting… yea, I’d go full Ms. Doubtfire with this frosting. It’s that good.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    2. Nora says

      March 08, 2023 at 5:39 pm

      Loved this cake recipe so much! Such a perfect size for a small group. And the brown butter cream frosting is the best I’ve ever had!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    3. Angelica Gruenwald says

      September 24, 2022 at 6:06 pm

      Hi, I have a question, is 45 minutes in the oven correct?? thanks

      Reply
      • Sloane says

        September 26, 2022 at 9:30 am

        Yes, 6 inch cake layers will take about 40-45 minutes to bake. Of course, all ovens vary, so I recommend using an internal oven thermometer and watching your cakes closely around the 40 minute mark.

        Reply
    4. Suzanna says

      April 26, 2022 at 8:44 am

      Can drained crushed pineapple be added? I’m looking for a smaller scale carrot cake recipe and this seems to be the one, if I can add pineapple.

      Reply
      • Sloane says

        April 27, 2022 at 8:56 am

        I haven't tested it before, but I think it should work! Would love to hear how it turns out if you try it!

        Reply
    5. TONI says

      April 21, 2022 at 9:49 am

      I MADE THIS CAKE IT WAS SO GOOD. FIRST I WAS NOT SURE ABOUT THE ICING BUT I LOVED IT! GREAT RECIPE

      Reply
    6. María Elena says

      March 18, 2022 at 12:40 pm

      I need to make this. Quick question though, can you use cake flour? How would that change the consistency of the cake?

      Thanks.

      Reply
      • Sloane says

        March 18, 2022 at 5:39 pm

        Hi Maria,
        I'm not sure how cake four would affect the texture. It may end up being too delicate to handle since it's already a very moist cake. Would love to hear how it turns out if you try it!

        Reply
    7. Amanda says

      March 12, 2022 at 3:18 pm

      Absolutely loved this recipe! Super moist and full of flavour! My friends and family loved it as much as I did

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    8. Amanda says

      March 08, 2022 at 5:10 pm

      Hi! I am wanting to make a 2 layer 8 inch cake. If I double the recipe, would that be the right quantity? Thank you!

      Reply
      • Sloane says

        March 09, 2022 at 8:54 am

        Hi Amanda! For a 2 layer 8 inch cake, I would at most scale it by 1.5x. Or you could leave it as is for slightly thinner layers. Would love to hear how it turns out!

        Reply
        • Amanda says

          March 12, 2022 at 3:20 pm

          I ended up making a single layer 8inch cake and just left the recipe as is. Made a beautiful deep cake!

          Reply

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    Hi, I'm Sloane! Welcome to Sloane’s Table! I am a Dartmouth College alumna, professional baker, recipe developer, and food photographer. Here, you will find tried & true bakery-worthy recipes ranging from simple sweets to technical pastries.

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