Description
This mini carrot cake is super cute! A small batch brown butter carrot sheet cake is baked in an eighth sheet pan or a loaf pan for the perfect tiny carrot cake. It is topped with a small batch cream cheese frosting and is perfect for a tiny celebration or any time you need a tiny carrot cake!
Ingredients
Brown Butter
- 110g unsalted butter, cold from the fridge is fine
Brown Butter Mini Carrot Cake
- 115g turbinado/raw sugar
- 40g neutral oil
- 25g brown butter
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1/4 tsp vanilla bean paste or extract
- 75g all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
- 90g freshly grated carrot (large holes on the box grater is fine)
Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
- 50g brown butter, chilled until spreadable (not liquid - you want it the consistency of what room temperature butter would be)
- 100g full fat cream cheese, at room temperature
- 125g powdered sugar, sifted
- 1/8 tsp vanilla bean paste or extract
- pinch of salt
Instructions
BROWN BUTTER
- Place the butter in a medium saucepan, and place over medium heat. Cook until the butter has melted, and then continue to cook, swirling the pan often, until the butter foams and turns golden brown and nutty - this should take 3-4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, allow to cool slightly. Some will be used in the cake and some in the brown butter cream cheese frosting (see recipe notes).
MINI CARROT CAKE
- Preheat the oven to 350°f / 180°c. Grease and line an eighth sheet pan or a 9"x5" (23x13cm) loaf pan with parchment paper which extends over the sides to form a sling.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the raw sugar, oil, and brown butter. Add the egg and vanilla and mix well until the mixture is well combined and has slightly lightened in colour.
- In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and cardamom.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix to combine. Add the carrot and fold to incorporate.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Place into the oven and bake for 23 to 25 minutes, until the cake is done in the middle and springs back when lightly touched with a finger.
- Remove the cake from the oven and leave to cool in the pan.
BROWN BUTTER CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
- If your brown butter is still liquid, place in a bowl and place into the freezer, stirring every minute until spreadable. Place chilled brown butter and cream cheese in a bowl. Mix on medium speed with an electric mixer or whisk well until well combined. Add in the powdered sugar, salt, and vanilla bean paste, and whip until light and fluffy.
ASSEMBLY
- Remove the cake from the pan using the parchment paper and place onto a serving platter.
- Spread the brown butter cream cheese frosting over the surface of the cake using an offset spatula or back of a spoon.
- Place briefly in the fridge to chill the icing if desired before cutting.
- Store leftovers at room temperature in an airtight container.
Notes
You may notice the quantities of Brown Butter don't quite add up to the initial amount of unsalted butter - this is to account for water loss when browning - read more about that above.
To get the brown butter spreadable I put it in the freezer and stir every minute or so until it has the consistency of room temperature butter. You can do this directly in the bowl that you make the frosting in before adding the other ingredients.
Keywords: Carrot cake, mini carrot cake, small batch carrot cake, brown butter carrot cake, brown butter cream cheese frosting, tiny sheet cake