Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

One of my favorite indulgences as I grew up was definitely munching on a nice and moist home-made carrot cake, topped with the traditional cream cheese frosting! There’s nothing like enjoying simplicity, and whenever I make or eat a Carrot Cake, I feel good because it brings me closer to the simplicity that home cooking offers.But if you are looking for something fancy, then these cute and elegant Mini carrot cakes are just what you need for your next entertaining menu. Small portions make it a cute and attractive dessert on the plates, without compromising on the taste or the flavor!

[Recipe courtesy of Woman’s Day; photo by Kate Sears]

Mini Carrot Cakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients
Makes about 6 mini cakes

1 3⁄4 cups all-purpose flour
1 3⁄4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1⁄2 tsp ground nutmeg
1⁄2 tsp each baking soda and salt
2 jars (4 oz each) baby food carrots
2 ⁄3 cup grated fresh carrots
3⁄4 cup orange juice
1⁄2 cup sugar
1⁄4 cup canola oil
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract

Cream Cheese Frosting
1 brick (8 oz) cream cheese
1⁄2 stick (1⁄4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 & 1⁄2 cups confectioners’ sugar
Orange and green gel food color

Method
Heat oven to 375ºF. Line 13 x 9 x 2-in. baking pan with heavy-duty foil, extending it over sides; coat with nonstick cooking spray.

Whisk flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl to mix.

In another medium bowl, whisk baby food, fresh carrots, orange juice, sugar, oil, egg and vanilla.

Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients just until blended. Spread into prepared pan. Bake 20 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool in pan on wire rack 10 minutes. Using foil, lift cake from pan and cool completely on wire rack.

Frosting: In a bowl with electric mixer on medium speed, beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla until creamy. On low, beat in confectioners’ sugar. Beat until fluffy.

Using foil, lift cake onto work surface. With a 21⁄2-in. round biscuit cutter, cut out 12 rounds from cake. Place 1⁄2 cup frosting in a cup and tint orange. Place 1⁄4 cup frosting in another cup and tint green-yellow.

On half of the cake rounds, spread 1 Tbsp frosting each; top with remaining rounds. Frost each top with 11⁄2 Tbsp frosting. Place orange and green tinted frosting in separate quart-size ziptop bags. Snip off tip from each bag; pipe orange carrots and green tops on the cakes with the frosting.

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