Mini Carrot Cakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

This carrot cake recipe is another one inspired by my Dad. Growing up, he made the best carrot cake — moist, full of flavour, and always topped with that classic cream cheese frosting. I’ve taken his original recipe and turned it into mini carrot cakes, which are perfect for parties, bringing along to a friend’s place, or just keeping in the cupboard for a morning snack. You can also bake this same carrot cake mixture as cupcakes if you prefer a grab-and-go option.

I’ve been making this carrot cake recipe for years now, and it’s one I always a winner. It’s simple, quick to put together, and turns out beautifully every time. The cakes are soft, spiced just right, and packed with shredded carrot to keep them nice and moist.

And of course, no carrot cake is complete without a generous piping of cream cheese frosting. It adds just the right amount of tangy sweetness and balances the warm spices in the cake perfectly. Then topped with finely chopped walnuts for a little crunch — it finishes them off nicely and adds that extra bit of texture.

Whether you're already a carrot cake fan or just in the mood for something a little nostalgic and cosy, these mini carrot cakes with cream cheese frosting are definitely worth baking!

The making of mini carrot cakes with cream cheese frosting

Mini Carrot Cakes with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

Makes: 10 mini cakes

Takes: 1 hr

Cake element:

Ingredients:

• 1 cup brown sugar

• 1/2 cup oil

• 2 eggs

• 1 1/4 cup flour

• 1 tsp baking soda

• 1/2 tsp mixed spiced

• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

• Pinch of salt

• 1/2 cup crushed tinned pineapple

• 1 1/2 cup carrots grated

Method:

Preheat oven to 170 degrees C fan bake, and grease and line mini loaf sheet (you can totally make this in a muffin tray or in one loaf tin, the baking time may vary!). I used a silicone mould that I got at k-mart.

Prep the pineapple and carrots. Open the tinned pineapple and drain the crushed pineapple through a sift. set side for later. Peel and grate carrots. Set aside for later.

Cream together with an electric beater in a large mixing bowl, brown sugar, oil and eggs. Beat until light and fluffy (approximately 5 minutes).

Add into the bowl, flour, baking soda, mixed spice, cinnamon, salt. Mix together until it has just come together. Fold in 1/2 a cup of drained pineapple and grated carrots.

Grease and line a tray of mini loaf tins (or cupcake tray). Spoon batter into the tray and bake for 40-45 minutes, until golden and skewer comes out clean.

Cream Cheese Frosting element:

Ingredients:

• 125g cream cheese, at room temperature

• 75g butter, at room temperature

• 1 1/2 cups icing sugar

• 1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste

• chopped toasted walnuts

• edible flowers or dried flowers

Method:

Whip the cream cheese and butter together until soft. It’s important that they are both the same temp to avoid splitting.

Add in icing sugar and vanilla bean paste and mix until combined. Important that you don’t over whip this, as it may split.

Pipe or spoon on to completely cooled cakes and decorate with finely chopped walnuts and edible flowers.

Enjoy!