The best mini carrot sheet cake

Name: The Best Mini Carrot Sheet Cake
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 30 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1/3 lb carrots, shredded; 2 eggs; 1/2 cup light brown sugar; 1/3 cup granulated sugar; 1/2 cup vegetable oil; 2/3 cup milk; 1 tsp vanilla extract; 1 1/3 cup all purpose flour; 1 tsp baking powder; 1/3 tsp baking soda; 1/3 tsp salt; 2/3 tsp ground cinnamon; 1/8 tsp ground ginger; 1/8 tsp ground cloves; 1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened; 1 cup powdered sugar; 2-3 tbsp coconut cream; 1/2 cup coconut flakes, toasted

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Hands down the best mini carrot sheet cake you'll ever make, this treat pairs the classic cake you know and love with a fluffy coconut frosting and toasted coconut flakes. Perfect for a small brunch, get-together with friends or for having on hand to give yourself a sweet, mid-week pick-me-up.

close up view of carrot cake showing sides and top of cake

I recently discovered the concept of snack cakes and can I just say I'm totally in love? If you're not already familiar with the concept, snack cakes are small, single layer cakes made with pantry friendly ingredients that don't require a lot of time or equipment to make.

You read that right: A small, easy cake with ingredients you likely already have to share with a friend or keep all to yourself.

The Millennial in me is all about this.

So with spring well on it's way, here's an easy carrot cake snack cake you can whip up when the craving strikes!

Here's how to make this cake

First, make the cake.

Start by shredding ⅓ pound carrots. For small carrots, this will be 3-4 and for larger carrots more like 1-2. A food processor works well for this but you can also grate them by hand.

Combine the eggs, light brown sugar and granulated sugar, and, using a handheld or stand mixer, whip until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes). It's important to give the egg/sugar mixture the benefit of a full whipping here as this is part of what will help your cake rise and give it that fluffy texture.

While you whip the eggs and sugar, whisk together the wet ingredients (oil, milk, vanilla extract and carrots) in one bowl and the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and cloves) in another.

Pour half of the dry ingredients into the egg/sugar mixture, whisking until just combined. Add the wet ingredients, again, whisking until just combined. Finally, add the remaining half of the dry ingredients, and whisk gently until everything is just incorporated.

Line an 8"x8" square cake pan with parchment paper and pour the carrot cake batter into it. Bake at 350F for 25 - 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just cooked crumbs.

side view of carrot cake batter being poured into a parchment paper lined cake pan

Second, make the coconut frosting.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter until smooth. Add the powdered sugar and beat on high until the frosting is smooth and fluffy. Add the coconut cream and beat until just incorporated.

The coconut cream adds a very subtle coconut flavor so I added the full three tablespoons, but you can add more or less depending on how much coconut flavor you want. If you're having a hard time finding it in your store, it's typically with the cocktail mixes.

A note on coconut cream substitutions: If you can't find coconut cream or would prefer to use something else, you can substitute it for a few tablespoons of the solidified portion of coconut milk or a teaspoon of coconut extract.

Spoon the frosting onto the top of your cooled cake and spread it out evenly.

overhead view of baked mini carrot sheet cake with frosting and coconut flakes next to it

Finally, add the toasted coconut.

To toast your coconut, place it on a tin foil lined baking sheet and broil it (on low if your oven has a low broil setting) until lightly browned.

Sprinkle over your freshly frosted cake.

Expert tips

Testing for doneness: Although tempting to wait until the toothpick comes out clean, doing so will likely lead to over-baking your cake. Instead, you want your toothpick to come out without any raw batter and with some cooked crumbs still clinging to it.
The trick to bubble-free frosting: Although this frosting whips up relatively smooth, you can beat out any air bubbles that might have worked their way in by beating the frosting on low for about 5 minutes.
Storage: This cake can be kept at room temperature in an air tight container for 2-3 days.
Making this cake for a crowd: If you need more cake, simply double the recipe and bake it in a 9"x13" at 350F adding 5-15 minutes to the bake time.

Frequently asked questions

Is carrot cake healthier than regular cake?

While the carrots in carrot cake add some additional nutritional value, on the whole, carrot cake is not healthier than other kinds of cakes. This is because it contains a similar amount of fats and sugars when compared to other varieties of cake.

Why do you use oil in carrot cake instead of butter?

Cakes made with oil tend to be more moist, loftier, have a more even crumb and tend to take longer to go stale.

slice of carrot cake on a plate with mini sheet cake in the background

Did you make this recipe? I’d love to hear how it went in the comments below. Better still, snap a photo and tag it on Instagram with #thesimplesweetlife. I love seeing your creations!

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