Hey there, carrot cake lover! Craving that rich, spiced, and perfectly moist carrot cake but don’t need a full-sized one? No worries—I’ve got the perfect small carrot cake recipe just for you!"
This adorable 6-inch carrot cake is the ultimate treat when you’re in the mood for something homemade and delicious but don’t want a giant cake taking over your kitchen. It’s soft, packed with cozy spices, and topped with the creamiest, dreamiest cream cheese frosting. Whether you’re baking for a special date night, a small gathering, or just treating yourself (because why not?), this cake delivers all the classic carrot cake flavors in a perfectly portioned size. No overwhelming leftovers, just pure, sweet satisfaction in every bite!
So, if you're ready to whip up something amazing, grab your ingredients and let’s get baking! Trust me—you’re going to love every bite of this small carrot cake recipe.
Why You'll Love This Small Carrot Cake Recipe
This small carrot cake recipe combines all the classic flavors you adore - warm spices, tender cake, and creamy frosting - in a perfectly portioned size that serves 2-4 people. It's ideal when you're craving homemade cake but don't want leftovers sitting around. The ingredients are precisely scaled to eliminate waste while still delivering that irresistible carrot cake taste and texture you expect.
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Small Carrot Cake Recipe Ingredients
For the Small Carrot Cake:
- All-purpose flour
- baking soda
- Ground cinnamon
- Ground nutmeg
- Ground ginger
- Salt
- Vegetable oil
- Granulated sugar
- Brown sugar, packed
- Eggs, room temperature
- Vanilla extract
- Grated carrots (about 2-3 medium carrots)
- Chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)
- Raisins (optional)
For the Small-Batch Cream Cheese Frosting:
- Cream cheese, softened
- Unsalted butter, softened
- Powdered sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Step 1: Preparation (10 minutes)
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C)
- Grease a 6-inch cake pan and line with parchment paper
- Peel and grate carrots using the medium holes of your grater
- Set eggs and dairy products out to reach room temperature
Step 2: Making the Cake Batter (15 minutes)
- Mix flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt in a bowl
- In another bowl, whisk oil with both sugars until combined
- Beat in eggs one at a time
- Stir in vanilla extract
- Gradually fold in dry ingredients
- Mix in grated carrots, nuts, and raisins if using
Step 3: Baking (25-30 minutes)
- Pour batter into prepared pan
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean
- Cool in pan for 10 minutes
- Remove from pan and cool completely on wire rack
Step 4: Frosting (10 minutes)
- Beat until fluffy (about 2 minutes)
- Beat softened cream cheese and butter until smooth
- Gradually add powdered sugar
- Mix in vanilla and salt
- Step 1: Preparation
Grease a 6-inch pan, line with parchment, grate carrots, and bring eggs to room temp.
- Step 2: Making the Cake Batter
Mix dry ingredients separately. Whisk oil, sugars, eggs, and vanilla, then combine. Fold in carrots, nuts, and raisins.
- Step 3: Baking
Pour batter into the pan and bake at 350°F for 25-30 minutes. Cool before frosting.
- Step 4: Frosting
Beat cream cheese, butter, and sugar until fluffy. Spread on cake and top with nuts.
Small Carrot Cake Recipe Variations
Mini Carrot Cake Loaves
- Use two 3x5 inch loaf pans
- Reduce baking time to 20-25 minutes
- Perfect for gifting or freezing one loaf
Healthy Small Carrot Cake
- Replace oil with ¼ cup applesauce
- Use whole wheat pastry flour
- Reduce sugar to ½ cup total
- Top with Greek yogurt frosting
Small Gluten-Free Version
- Use 1:1 gluten-free flour blend
- Add ⅛ teaspoon xanthan gum if your blend doesn't include it
- Let batter rest 10 minutes before baking
Carrot Cake for Two
- Makes perfect individual cakes
- Split batter between two 4-inch pans
- Bake 20-22 minutes
Small Carrot Cake Equipment
- 6-inch round cake pan
- Parchment paper
- Box grater for carrots
- Medium mixing bowls
- Hand mixer or whisk
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Cooling rack
- Small offset spatula (for frosting)
Storage Tips
- Room Temperature: Up to 2 days covered
- Refrigerator: 5 days in airtight container
- Freezer (unfrosted): Up to 2 months well-wrapped
- Freezer (frosted): Up to 1 month
Serving Your Small carrot Cake
- Garnish with toasted nuts or candied carrots
- Pair with coffee or tea for afternoon dessert
- Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream
- Serve with a drizzle of caramel sauce
My Grandmother's Secret Touch
Let me share a cherished family secret that makes this carrot cake truly special. My grandmother always said the magic wasn't just in the ingredients - it was in the love and patience you stirred into the batter. She taught me to grate the carrots by hand, letting each vibrant orange ribbon fall gently into the bowl while sharing stories of past family gatherings. Her special touch was adding a pinch of cardamom alongside the cinnamon, a subtle hint of warmth that made everyone pause and smile with their first bite. She'd say, "Baking isn't about rushing - it's about creating memories." When I make this small carrot cake now, I can still picture her hands guiding mine as we folded in the carrots, teaching me that the most important ingredient was the time we spent together in the kitchen. This recipe carries forward that same spirit of love and tradition, sized perfectly for creating your own special moments.
FAQ
What to do with small carrots?
Small carrots are perfect for baking! Their tender texture and concentrated sweetness make them ideal for carrot cake. You can grate them finely for even distribution throughout your batter. They're also excellent for juicing, roasting whole as a side dish, or adding to salads. For baking, you'll need a few more small carrots to equal the amount of regular-sized ones - generally, use 4-5 small carrots in place of 2-3 medium ones.
Why is it called divorce carrot cake?
The "divorce carrot cake" got its name from a viral Reddit post where someone shared that this cake was so good, it caused their marriage to end - their spouse tried it at a party, got the recipe, and left them for the person who baked it! While the story might be more internet legend than fact, the name stuck because the cake is supposedly irresistible. The recipe typically features extra pineapple and coconut for added moisture and flavor.
What is the smallest cake called?
The smallest cake is typically called a "petit four" (French for "small oven"). However, there are several types of mini cakes: individual cupcakes (2-3 inches), mini cupcakes (1-2 inches), cake pops (1 inch), and petit fours (1-1.5 inches). For carrot cake specifically, smaller versions are often called "mini carrot cakes" or "carrot cake bites." Professional bakers might also use terms like "individual portions" or "single-serve cakes."
How to make a simple carrot cake?
A simple carrot cake starts with basic pantry ingredients: grated carrots, flour, oil, eggs, sugar, and spices. Mix your dry ingredients first, then combine wet ingredients separately. Fold in freshly grated carrots last. Bake in a prepared pan at 350°F (175°C) until a toothpick comes out clean. The key to success is not overmixing the batter and using freshly grated carrots instead of pre-shredded ones. Top with classic cream cheese frosting once cooled. The entire process takes about an hour, including baking time.
Big Flavor in a Small Cake
This small carrot cake recipe proves that you don’t need a giant cake to enjoy all the classic flavors and moist, spiced goodness of a homemade carrot cake. Whether you're celebrating a special moment or simply treating yourself, this perfectly sized cake delivers all the deliciousness without the extra leftovers.
Love baking? Don’t stop here! If you’re craving more indulgent homemade desserts, be sure to check out our Decadent Chocolate Tart Recipe for a rich, chocolatey delight or try our Moist Red Velvet Cupcakes Recipe for a bakery-style treat that’s irresistibly soft and flavorful.
We’d love to see your baking creations! Tag us in your photos or leave a comment to share how your small-batch baking turned out. Happy baking and happy indulging!
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Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with this Small Carrot Cake Recipe:
Small Carrot Cake Recipe
Equipment
- 1 6-inch round cake pan Greased and lined with parchment
- 1 Box grater For fresh carrot grating
- 2 Medium mixing bowls For wet and dry ingredients
- 1 Hand mixer or whisk For mixing batter and frosting
- 1 Cooling rack For even cooling before frosting
- 1 Small offset spatula For spreading frosting evenly
Ingredients
For the Small Carrot Cake:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour Spoon & level method
- 1 teaspoon baking soda Helps the cake rise
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon Adds warmth
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg Enhances spice flavor
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger Adds slight zing
- ¼ teaspoon salt Balances flavors
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil Keeps the cake moist
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar Adds sweetness
- ⅓ cup brown sugar packed Adds depth & moisture
- 2 large eggs room temp Helps bind ingredients
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Enhances flavor
- 1½ cups grated carrots About 2-3 medium carrots
- ⅓ cup chopped pecans/walnuts Optional adds crunch
- ¼ cup raisins Optional adds sweetness
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 6 oz cream cheese softened Full-fat for best texture
- ¼ cup unsalted butter softened Adds richness
- 1½ cups powdered sugar Sweetens & thickens
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Adds flavor
- pinch salt Balances sweetness
Instructions
- Grease pan and grate carrots
- Mix dry ingredients
- Whisk oil, sugars, eggs, vanilla
- Combine wet and dry ingredients
- Fold in carrots and nuts
- Pour batter into pan
- Bake at 350°F for 25-30 min
- Cool cake completely
- Beat cream cheese, butter, and sugar
- Spread frosting on cake
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