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mini carrot cakes on a platter.

Mini Carrot Cakes with Candied Pecans

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 17 mini cakes
Calories: 325kcal
Author: Shinee
Moist and mildly spiced, these adorable mini carrot cakes are effortlessly impressive and easy to make! Don't skip crunchy candied pecans; they add fantastic texture to the cake!
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Ingredients

For candied pecans:

  • 1 egg white
  • 3 tablespoons (45 g) granulated sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon coarse kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup (130 g) chopped pecans

For cake:

  • 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour Note 1
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon coarse kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg Note 2
  • 3 medium carrots Note 3
  • 2 large eggs at room temperature
  • ½ cup (120 g) Greek yogurt at room temperature
  • ¼ cup (60 ml) vegetable oil
  • ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
  • ½ cup (100 g) brown sugar either light or dark

Optional Filling:

For frosting:

  • 8 oz (250 g) cream cheese at room temperature
  • ¼ cup (55 g) unsalted butter at room temperature
  • 2 cups (240 g) powdered sugar
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Instructions

  • If you're planning to fill the mini cakes with pineapple curd, make it first before you start making the cake.

To make the candied pecans:

  • Preheat the oven to 250°F (120°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, or a silicone mat.
  • In a small dish, mix the sugar, cinnamon and salt.
  • Whisk the egg white and vanilla extract until nice and frothy, good 3-4 minutes. (Make sure the mixture is frothy, as pictured above.)
  • Add the chopped pecans and mix well.
  • Using a slotted spoon, remove the nuts and toss the pecans with the sugar mixture until the nuts are evenly coated.
  • Transfer the coated pecans onto a prepared baking sheet and spread into a single layer.
  • Bake the pecans, stirring and checking every 15 minutes, until the nuts are evenly browned and crisp, about 45 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack. If desired, you can chop the candied pecans into even smaller pieces.

To make the carrot cake:

  • Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a baker's half baking sheet with parchment paper and spray cooking spray all over the parchment paper and on the sides.
  • In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and nutmeg. Set aside.
  • In a mixing bowl with a paddle attachment, mix together eggs, Greek yogurt, oil, sugar, and brown sugar until well combined.
  • Add flour mixture and mix just until combined. Don’t overmix at this point.
  • Add grated carrots and gently fold the batter with a silicone spatula.
  • Pour the batter into the prepared baking sheet and tap a few times to get rid of bubbles.
  • Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Make the cream cheese frosting:

  • Beat the butter and cream cheese on medium-high speed until fluffy for 1 minute.
  • Add powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Beat on low speed for a minute. Then increase the speed to medium-high and continue to beat until smooth and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
  • Transfer the frosting into a piping bag with a plain round tip, if desired. (Alternatively, you can simply use 2 teaspoons to frost the cakes.)

To assemble the mini cakes:

  • Once the cake is cooled completely, carefully transfer the cake onto a flat surface. And cut out 2-inch circles using a cookie cutter (I love this cookie cutter set!) and arrange the mini cake layers on a wire rack.
  • Pipe a ring around the edge on bottom cake layers and add pineapple curd in the center. (Alternatively, if you're not using pineapple curd, spread a heaping tablespoon of cream cheese frosting on the bottom cake layers and sprinkle candied pecans).
  • Then place the top cake layers over the frosting. Finally, spread more frosting on top and sprinkle candied pecans.
  • Store the cakes in the fridge, covered, for up to 3 days.
  • Mix the leftover cake scraps and frosting in the mixing bowl with the paddle attachment, or using a handheld electric mixer, and make some cake pops.

Notes

Note 1: Use a kitchen scale or measure with the spoon and level method. Spoon the flour into the measuring cup, then level it off with the flat edge of a butter knife.
Note 2: Nutmeg loses its potency once grated. And that’s why I highly recommend grating a whole nutmeg right before baking instead of purchasing ground nutmeg.
Note 3: You’ll need about 200g of carrots. I recommend grating the carrots into fine pieces so you don’t bite into a big chunk of carrots. I also don’t recommend pre-grated carrots, which are usually dried up.
Storing Tips:
- Store leftover little carrot cakes in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 3 days.
- Freeze small carrot cakes for up to 3 months. Place them on a sheet pan or large plate and put them into the freezer. Once the carrot cakes are frozen, transfer them to an airtight container.

Nutrition

Servings: 1 mini cake
Calories: 325kcal
Carbohydrates: 40g
Protein: 4g
Fat: 17g
Sugar: 33g
Sodium: 236mg