When you feel like making treats like these mini carrot cakes, but don’t feel like going to the store – Instacart saves the day with grocery delivery! It has changed everything. Now when I’m missing a key ingredient but midway through baking prep I can just order groceries only. So now you can have your cake and bake it too! Keep reading for tips and tricks to making mini carrot cakes and a sweet recipe.
These mini carrot cakes were so simple to whip up. It is a two bowl recipe not large equipment necessary. The key to the size is cutting out the cake using a cookie cutter and then layering. You can skip this step too and just make a regular 9×13 carrot cake if you don’t feel like hasseling with the small layers. Either way it is delicious. And don’t miss that straberry carrot on top. I first saw it on Pinterest and thought it was such a clever idea. Fresh strawberries are dipped into orange candy melts. It takes only a few minute to dry and you have your strawberry carrot.
Happy baking!
Mini Carrot Cakes with Strawberry Carrot Top
Makes: 2 9×13 pans; 15-18 individual cakes
Ingredients
CARROT CAKE
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons cake flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
4 large eggs
1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup light brown sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 cups finely shredded or grated carrots
CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
1 pound cream cheese, softened
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
STRAWBERRY TOP
20 strawberries
1 bag orange candy melts
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°. Spray a 9-by-13-inch metal baking pan with vegetable spray. Line the pan with parchment paper and spray the paper.
On a rimmed baking sheet, toast the walnuts for about 7 minutes, until lightly browned and fragrant. Remove from the oven, add the butter and toss to coat the walnuts.
3 In a medium bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and ginger; whisk to blend.
In another bowl, whisk the eggs with the oil, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla until smooth.
5 Stir in the dry ingredients just incorporated, then stir in the carrots and walnuts.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 40 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
Transfer the cake to a rack and let cool for 15 minutes. With a paring knife, loosen the cake from the side of the pan. Invert the cake onto the rack and gently peel off the parchment paper. Let cool completely, at least 2 hours.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, beat the cream cheese with the butter at medium speed until blended, about 30 seconds. Beat in the confectioners’ sugar in two batches, mixing thoroughly between additions, about 1 minute. Beat in the vanilla.
Once cake is cooled cute out individual cake circles with a cookie cutter.
Layer mini cake rounds with frosting. Top with second cake round and another layer of frosting.
Make the strawberry carrot top:
Follow heating instructions for candy melts. Heat candy melts.
Dip strawberries in melted orange chocolate melts and let dry on wax or parchment paper. Drizzle extra chocolate over the strawberries to give a carrot look! (I put chocolate in a small plastic bag a snipped off the corner to drizzle.)
Top mini cake with strawberries
Sweet Somethings: