Mini Carrot Cakes

There’s something comforting about carrot cake—the warm spices, the sweet and earthy carrots, and that irresistible cream cheese frosting. These Mini Carrot Cakes take everything you love about the classic dessert and shrink them into perfectly portioned treats.

Ideal for afternoon tea, Easter gatherings, or just a sweet pick-me-up, these little cakes are moist, lightly spiced, and packed with flavour.

Prep Time: 45 mins 

Baking Time: 20-22 mins 

Skill Level: Nice and Easy 

Ingredients:

For prepping the tin:

• 20 grams Unsalted butter, melted

•  1 tablespoon Plain flour

For the mini carrot cakes:

• 180 grams Light brown sugar

• 2 large Eggs, room temperature

• 180 millilitres of Sunflower oil 

• 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract 

•  180 grams of Self-raising flour

• 1.5 teaspoons Ground cinnamon

•   ½ teaspoon Mixed Spice

•  1 large Orange, zest only

• 125 grams Carrots

• 50 grams Walnuts

For the cream cheese frosting:

• 100 grams of Unsalted butter, room temperature

• 200 grams of Icing sugar

• 100 grams Full-fat Philadelphia cream cheese, keep in the fridge

For the decoration:

• Orange food colouring

•  Rosemary sprigs

• 20 grams Walnuts, finely chopped

Equipment:

Tala Yellow Stoneware Mixing Bowl 

Tala Performance 6 Hole Sandwich Pan 

Tala Stainless Steel Action Whisk 

Tala Set of 5 Measuring Spoons 

Method 

•  Preheat your oven to 160°C fan / 180°C conventional. Generously grease two Tala 6-cup Mini Sandwich Pans with melted butter and sprinkle a little flour into each hole. Tilt the tin to coat the sides, then tap out the excess.

•  Grate the carrot and finely chop the walnuts. Set aside for now.

• In a large bowl, stir the flour, sugar, spices and orange zest together until combined. Make a well in the middle.

•  In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, oil and vanilla until well combined.

•  Pour the wet ingredients into the dry. Whisk until the mixture is smooth and combined.

• Fold in the grated carrot and chopped walnuts.

•  Divide the mixture evenly between the baking tins, filling each one 3/4 full.

•  Bake for 20-22 minutes until the mini carrot cakes are golden and risen. Leave to cool completely in the baking tin. To release the cakes, first run a knife around the outside and then push them out from underneath. Use a knife to peel off the metal bases.

Make the cream cheese frosting:

•  Use an electric mixer to beat the butter and icing sugar together until soft and fluffy. This will take a little while but just keep going. If the texture is too dry, you can add a splash of milk.

•  Scoop two heaped tablespoons of buttercream into a separate bowl and mix with orange food colouring to turn it bright orange. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a small round nozzle (I used the Tala No.4 piping tip). Set aside for now.

•  Take the cream cheese out of the fridge and add it to the bowl of white buttercream. Whisk on low speed until the frosting is smooth and combined. Take care not to overmix, as it can quickly become runny.

Assemble and decorate the mini carrot cakes:

• If the cakes have domed on top, use a sharp knife to level them off.

•  Spoon or pipe the cream cheese frosting on half of the sponges. Place the other sponges on top to sandwich the layers together.

•  Spread the remaining cream cheese frosting on top. Use the back of a teaspoon to make a swirl on top.

•   Sprinkle some chopped walnuts on top of each mini cake.

•   Holding the piping bag of orange buttercream at a 45° angle, pipe a triangle-shaped squiggle to create the carrot shape. Finish with a small sprig of rosemary for the leaves. 

• Serve and enjoy!