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Published: Apr 18, 2022 · Modified: Sep 20, 2023 by Natalie Booras · This post may contain affiliate links · 14 Comments

Mini Carrot Cakes Recipe

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

This Mini Carrot Cakes Recipe is a wonderful way to create springtime treats that are the perfect size for your guests (although they are large enough to share if they’d like!) Carrot cake is one of the most quintessential Easter-time desserts. I used my mom's recipe for inspiration for these individual carrot cakes, which is the best carrot cake ever! It happens to be my all-time favorite dessert, but I digress. 

An photo showing a group of double-layered mini carrot cakes with piped frosting on top.

Table of Contents

Toggle
  • Simple Ingredients
  • What's With the Carrots?
  • Why You’ll Love This Recipe
  • Ingredients
  • Supplies
  • Instructions
  • Storage
  • Tips for the Cutting the Mini Cake Layers
  • Tips for the Decorating the Cakes
  • Mini Carrot Cakes Recipe
    • Ingredients  1x2x3x
    • Instructions 
    • Notes
    • Nutrition

Simple Ingredients

No need to stock your pantry with flour, sugar, or baking powder for this recipe! With all of the egg-dyeing and basket-filling to be done around the Easter holiday, this recipe provides an “easy button” of sorts. It starts with box spice cake mix as a shortcut! By adding just a few ingredients, it’s transformed into mini carrot cakes that will make an impressive presentation on your Easter table. I'm hopeful that this will be your favorite among mini cake recipes! And you want to know something else? You can make this recipe even after Easter has come and gone!

What's With the Carrots?

As I mentioned, carrot cake is a sweet treat that people tend to serve around the Easter holiday. Curiously, carrot cake doesn’t taste like carrots. So why is shredded carrot included in the recipe you may ask? In general, their flavor is pretty neutral. But as a result, when added to baked goods, they release moisture without interfering or competing with the other ingredients. In this recipe, they can be baked without getting mushy and, because of this, they add structure to the cake.

A double-layer mini carrot cake topped with chopped pecans

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • It starts with a box of cake mix! By adding a package of instant vanilla pudding, you will be able to create mini layer cakes that are dense and have moist crumbs. The addition of a few other simple ingredients and finely shredded carrot transforms this boxed cake mix into a holiday favorite! Be sure to follow the ingredients listed below and not the ingredients and instructions listed on the back of the box.
  • This cake is made in an 11"x17" pan like a sheet cake. Typically a layered cake recipe includes multiple round cake pans. But not this one! Using one pan and baking the cake in a single layer, means only one to wash and quick clean up.
  • Your guests will never be able to tell that it’s not completely “made-from-scratch.” This is accomplished by the addition of ground nutmeg and cloves. And when you fold in those bits of finely shredded carrots, the result will be a crowd-pleaser!
  • Unlike many carrot cake recipes, there is no addition of pineapple or nuts in the cake batter. The pecans listed are totally optional as a topping.
  • It has homemade cream cheese frosting. I could seriously eat it straight out of the bowl!
An overhead view of mini carrot cakes on a serving platter.

Ingredients

  • Boxed Spice Cake Mix
  • Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix
  • Ground Nutmeg
  • Ground Cloves
  • Vegetable Oil
  • Water
  • Large Eggs
  • Finely Grated Carrots
  • Cream Cheese
  • Unsalted Butter
  • Vanilla Extract
  • Powdered Sugar

(please refer to the recipe card for exact measurements)

An overhead photo showing all the ingredients needed to make the mini carrot cakes.

Supplies

  • 11”x17” rimmed baking sheet
  • Large bowl
  • Liquid measuring cup
  • Whisk
  • Electric mixer
  • Box or hand grater
  • 2 ½” round cookie cutter
  • Piping bag 
  • Decorative piping tip

Instructions

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 325℉. Spray an 11”x17” rimmed baking sheet with baking spray. Set aside. 

Step 2: In a large mixing bowl, add cake mix, pudding mix, nutmeg, cloves, and whisk to combine.

Step 3: To the dry ingredients, add oil, water, and eggs and mix on low with an electric mixer for 2 minutes.

IMPORTANT TIP: The best way to mix this cake is on LOW speed. Mixing with an electric mixer at a greater speed can result in a light and fluffy cake texture which will not cut the same. This recipe creates more of a pound cake texture than one with a light and airy crumb.

Photo of oil being poured into a mixing bowl on top of dry ingredients.
Photo of electric mixer mixing eggs into dry ingredients

Step 4: Fold in carrots.

Step 5: Bake for 25-28 minutes until the cake is nicely browned, is pulling away from the sides of the baking sheet, and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool the cake completely before moving on to the next step.

An overhead photo of shredded carrots on top of the batter in the mixing bowl
An overhead photo of cake batter spread into a rimmed baking sheet

Step 6: Using a 2-½ inch round cookie cutter, cut out the circles of cake. Transfer them to a large piece of parchment paper or a wire rack.

An overhead photo of using a circle cookie cutter to cut out the mini cake layers
A close up photo of a hand grabbing the circle of cake and lifting it from the baking sheet.

Step 7: To make the frosting, combine cream cheese and butter in a medium mixing bowl and beat until smooth.

Step 8: Add in vanilla and powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, mixing on low speed until all the powdered sugar has been added. Increase the speed to medium and mix until light and fluffy.

Step 9: Add frosting to a piping bag and decorate the cakes. 

Storage

Keep the decorated cakes in an airtight container, in the refrigerator, for up to 5 days.

Pro Tip: You can make both the frosting and the cake a day before you plan to serve the assembled cakes. For the cake, wait until it is completely cool, cover with foil, and store at room temperature until ready to cut and decorate. For the frosting, store it in the refrigerator, in an airtight container, or in a medium bowl covered with plastic wrap. You may need to take the frosting out and let it sit at room temperature to be able to pipe it.

A group of double-layered mini carrot cakes, some topped with nuts, some with shredded carrots, and some plain.

Tips for the Cutting the Mini Cake Layers

  • Use a cookie cutter with a thin sharp edge as opposed to a biscuit cutter. 
  • After completely cooling, you can chill or put the cake in the freezer for up to 1 hour to help make the cake more firm.
  • Spray cookie cutter with nonstick cooking spray.
  • Tops of the circles may crack slightly. However, they get covered with frosting, so nobody will be able to tell!
  • While cutting, some of the circles may stay in the cookie cutter and can be popped out. Some will stay on the pan. After cutting all the circles, remove the excess cake and gently transfer the circles to a piece of parchment.
  • Because the cake domes ever so slightly in the middle, the little cakes may vary slightly in thickness. When cutting, put them in pairs of similar thicknesses. Once they’re frosted, it is hard to tell the difference.
  • There will be leftover cake and a little leftover frosting (depending on how the cakes are decorated). You could certainly use those leftovers for cake pops.
A mini carrot cake with a bite taken out of it showing the texture of the cakes and the icing in between the layers.

Tips for the Decorating the Cakes

  • Pipe a swirl of frosting on half of the cakes. This will be the “bottom” cake layer.
  • If the frosting is going to be spread with an offset spatula or knife, frost the top layer cake BEFORE placing it on top of the bottom layer. Otherwise, the pressure needed to spread the frosting will squish the filling between the layers.
  • If the frosting is going to be piped, the top layer can be placed, and then the top of the cake can be decorated.
  • Top with finely chopped pecans, a few pieces of shredded carrots, or a piped swirl.
A photo of the bottom cake layer and piping a cream cheese frosting swirl on top
A photo of a double layer carrot cake with a cream cheese frosting swirl being piped on top
A double layered mini carrot cake with a dollop of cream cheese frosting piped on top

Mini Carrot Cakes Recipe

Natalie Booras
This Mini Carrot Cakes Recipe is a wonderful way to create springtime treats that are the perfect size for your guests (although they are large enough to share if they’d like!) Carrot cake is one of the most quintessential Easter-time desserts.
5 from 7 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes mins
Cook Time 23 minutes mins
Total Time 43 minutes mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 12 double-layer cakes
Calories 624 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 15.25-ounce box spice cake mix
  • 1 3.4-ounce box instant vanilla pudding mix
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • 1 cup water
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 cups finely grated carrots (about 2-3 large carrots)
  • ½ cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
  • 8 ounces cream cheese softened to room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 4 cups powdered sugar
  • ½ cup chopped pecans (optional for topping cakes)
  • additional finely grated/shredded carrots (optional for topping cakes)

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 325℉. Spray an 11”x17” rimmed baking sheet with baking spray. Set aside. 
  • In a large mixing bowl, add cake mix, pudding mix, nutmeg, cloves, and whisk to combine.
  • To the dry ingredients, add oil, water, and eggs and mix on low with an electric mixer for 2 minutes. Fold in carrots.
  • Bake for 25-28 minutes until the cake is nicely browned, is pulling away from the sides of the baking sheet, and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
  • Cool the cake completely before moving on to the next step.
  • Using a 2-½ inch round cookie cutter, cut out the circles of cake. Transfer them to a large piece of parchment paper or a wire rack.
  • In a medium mixing bowl, combine cream cheese and butter until smooth.
  • Add in vanilla and powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, mixing on low speed until all the powdered sugar has been added. Increase the speed to medium and mix until light and fluffy. 
  • Add frosting to a piping bag and decorate the cakes.

Notes

Storage:
Keep the cakes in an airtight container, in the refrigerator, for up to 5 days.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 624kcalCarbohydrates: 76gProtein: 6gFat: 34gSaturated Fat: 12gPolyunsaturated Fat: 8gMonounsaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 101mgSodium: 384mgPotassium: 286mgFiber: 2gSugar: 61gVitamin A: 4148IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 82mgIron: 3mg
Keyword mini carrot cake recipe
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Rita Joy says

    April 19, 2022 at 2:49 pm

    Those look delicious, and I love the presentation. What a great idea!!

    Reply
    • natalieboorasphotography@gmail.com says

      April 20, 2022 at 2:33 am

      Thanks, Rita!

      Reply
  2. Emma says

    April 19, 2022 at 4:46 pm

    5 stars
    Love a good carrot cake recipe! I'll take two of the mini cakes please!! The process shots are so helpful as well.

    Reply
    • natalieboorasphotography@gmail.com says

      April 20, 2022 at 2:34 am

      So glad the process shots helped, Emma!

      Reply
  3. April says

    April 19, 2022 at 9:55 pm

    5 stars
    This recipe is fantastic! Natalie is the best!

    Reply
    • natalieboorasphotography@gmail.com says

      April 20, 2022 at 2:35 am

      Thank you for your kind review!

      Reply
  4. George says

    April 20, 2022 at 2:08 am

    5 stars
    So great

    Reply
    • natalieboorasphotography@gmail.com says

      April 20, 2022 at 2:34 am

      Thanks, George! So glad you enjoyed them.

      Reply
  5. Elizabeth says

    April 20, 2022 at 3:02 am

    5 stars
    Yum! Can’t wait to make these!

    Reply
    • natalieboorasphotography@gmail.com says

      April 20, 2022 at 2:51 pm

      Thanks, Elizabeth! I hope you love them as much as I do!

      Reply
  6. Jess says

    May 05, 2022 at 5:57 pm

    5 stars
    These look delicious and they are so adorable! Thanks for sharing your tips on how to cut the cakes and decorate them – that will come in handy!

    Reply
  7. Jessica says

    August 02, 2022 at 11:31 am

    5 stars
    I'm so glad that I found these! The boxed cake mix makes it so easy... especially for this busy momma. Thank you!

    Reply
    • natalieboorasphotography@gmail.com says

      August 02, 2022 at 5:48 pm

      Thanks, Jessica! I hope you love them!

      Reply
  8. Rachel says

    January 29, 2025 at 12:51 pm

    5 stars
    I found this recipe a while ago and have made them a few times. I figured it was time to come on and comment how much I love them! Really great flavor, super moist and the mini size is so fun!

    Reply
5 from 7 votes

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