Miniature Carrot cakes boast a luxurious cream cheese frosting (natural food dye) and are moist, perfectly spiced and will be a hit of any party. Enjoy these tempting Marvelous Mini Carrot Cakes – can use regular flour too! Wonderful for Thanksgiving!
Everyone LOVES Carrots Cake!
So I thought I would make mine miniature sized (about 3 bites each) – and serve them at Thanksgiving. They look festive enough! See below for tips on garnishing…
Carrot Cake is a homemade, comforting classic! I’m loving these minis – just pick them up individually and enjoy.
My recipe has a great balance, not too sweet and chock full of ingredients that work together. Also – I use warm spices: cinnamon and cardamom. You can substitute pumpkin pie spice (which is a blend.)
The Ingredients:
The Method – pretty easy!
In a large bowl whisk together:
Grated Carrots, Neutral Oil, 1 egg plus 1 egg white, vanilla and fresh diced pineapple.
Add with a rubber spatula: sugar, flour (gluten free or regular), unsweetened shredded coconut, chopped walnuts, cinnamon, cardamom, baking powder, baking soda and sea salt. (Raisins are optional.) Refrigerate 15 minutes to hydrate the flour; aids to a higher rise.
Scoop into oiled metal mini muffin tins and bake for 12 minutes.
Will be moist with a nice rise!
Cool then frost.
STEP 1:
To a a large bowl combine: Grated Carrots, Neutral Oil, 1 egg plus 1 egg white, vanilla and fresh diced pineapple.
STEP 2:
Fold in: sugar, flour (gluten free or regular), unsweetened shredded coconut, chopped walnuts, cinnamon, cardamom, baking powder, baking soda and sea salt.
STEP 3:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees – Refrigerate the batter for 15 minutes.
(This hydrates the flour – and gives the cakes a high rise!)
Scoop into oiled muffin tins.
Use a 1 1/2″ ice cream/cookie scoop – recipe makes 18 Mini Carrot Cakes
STEP 4:
Cool the cakes 10 minutes in the tin – then place them on a wire rack to fully cool.
They are very moist – carrots naturally keeps the crumb tender and prevents the cake from drying out.
STEP 5:
Make the Cream Cheese Frosting
My Classic Cream Cheese Frosting recipe with a twist!
I add plant-based orange food coloring (mix the powder with water or carrot juice) – add to HALF of the frosting, keeping the remainder white.
Supernatural Dye-Free Food Coloring I used (orange.) See recipe for instructions.
STEP 5:
Pipe the frosting on the cupcakes.
How to Pipe the Frosting:
- I use a pastry bag with a star tip – carefully add the white frosting inside the bag to the side, add the orange frosting to the other side.
- Twist the bag to gently guide the frosting down and swirl decoratively around the outside of the cakes, ending in the center.
No piping bag – no problem!
Simply use a small butter knife and swirl the 2 colored frostings on top of each cake.
They will taste just as good.
I has SO MUCH FUN Making these Candied Carrots! See how in Notes/Recipe
I make thin slices of carrots with a swivel peeler, then added it to a sugar syrup and cooked until softened, then they are dried in the oven and sugar is lastly added. Definitely Optional! I recommend making ahead of time.
Candied Carrots:
Make 18 thin slices of carrots with a swivel peeler (1/2 inch wide, 5 inches long ), then addeto a sugar syrup 1/2 cup sugar +1/2 cup water (simmered.) Cook until softened over low heat for 10 minutes, then add to a parchment lined cookie sheet. I make rosette shapes with some, and twist others. Bake 25 minutes at 200 degrees until somewhat firm. Dip into granulated sugar and leave to dry. Store in a container with a tight seal.
Why does everyone love Carrot Cake?
The flavor combinations – textures – thinking this might be healthy (all those carrots ?) and – cream cheese frosting is silky smooth with a sweet-tart flavor and kind of addictive!
The rich, tangy sweetness of the cream cheese icing cuts through and balances the spice of the cake.
Carrot Cake’s Popularity boomed in the 1960’s to 1970’s
The new classic modern take on carrot cake – paired with rich cream cheese frosting and often containing ingredients like walnuts, pecans, or crushed pineapple – surged into mainstream popularity across the United States.
At this time “the health food crave” was beginning. Consumers viewed it as a “wholesome” and a healthy choice because it contained vegetables and nuts. (Yes carrot cake contains healthful ingredients, but not considered extremely wholesome… just delicious!)
By the 1970s, it became a standard, staple dessert menu item in American diners, restaurants and bakeries across the country.
I remember when The Silver Palate on Manhattan’s Upper West Side presented this cake, and it has been a popular staple at bakeries across the country ever since. An American Classic!
Enjoy these Marvelous Mini Carrot Cakes! A great contrast of perfectly spiced and moist mini cakes with a sweet- tangy cream cheese frosting.
Karen
ALSO SEE:
Thanksgiving Desserts! My Favorite Scrumptious Holiday Recipes!
See my RECIPE LOCATOR: Find the Perfect Recipe!
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Mini Marvelous Carrot Cakes – Gluten Free
Equipment
- 1 muffin tin pan (can use muffin cups inside)
Ingredients
First in bowl add:
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg white
- 1/2 cup carrots, finely grated, gently packed
- 1/3 cup neutral oil, such as safflower oil Expeller Pressed
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup fresh pineapple, small dice, patted removing excess juice
Add these to the bowl:
- 1/3 cup pure cane sugar
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1/4 cup walnuts, small chop
- 3/4 cup gluten free flour blend, Yes – can use regular flour
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 tablespoons yellow raisins, optional
Instructions
- Prepare ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk the egg and egg white. Add remaining 4 ingredients, mix with a rubber spatula.
- Add the remaining 8 ingredients to the bowl, combine with a rubber spatula until just mixed thoroughly – do not overmix. (Raisins are optional.) Refrigerate for 15 minutes (to hydrate the flour, also aids for a higher rise.) Preheat the oven, middle rack to 400 degrees.
- Oil each cavity of a mini 24 muffin tin (can use paper liners instead.) Scoop the batter using 1 1/2 inch cookie/ice cream scoop into 18 cavities. Will be about 1 1/2 tablespoons #50. Reduce heat to 350 degrees.
- Bake for 12 minutes, until nicely risen and firm on top. Remove from oven, let rest 10 minutes then remove the cakes to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Make Cream Cheese Frosting (Orange and White Swirled) – see Notes.
Notes
In a small bowl add 4 tablespoons unsalted butter and 3 ounces cream cheese – both room temperature. Stir well with a wire whisk until very creamy. Add 1 1/2 cups confectioner’s sugar (I sift in) and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract – whisk well.
Two-toned Frosting:
Keep half white, add half frosting to a small bowl. To a small bowl add 1/8 teaspoon natural orange powder with 1/4 teaspoon water (or carrot juice if you have.) Stir to dissolve – add the frosting. Supernatural Dye-Free Food Coloring I used (orange.)
Pipe Decoration:
To a pastry bag – add open star metal tip # 1M or similar. Add white frosting to one side, orange to the other. Twist bag and pipe over the mini carrot cakes. Guide around the outside, ending in the center.
Optional – top with candied carrots and fine rosemary sprigs. No piping bag – no problem! Simply use a small butter knife and swirl the 2 colored frostings on top of each cake. They will taste just as good. Nutritional analysis does not include frosting. This recipe may not be reproduced without the consent of its author, Karen Sheer.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
