Mini Carrot Bundt Cakes

Carrot cake is a perfect Easter dessert, but my family is a huge carrot cake fan so we enjoy it any time of year. A go-to dessert for many of our special occasions, this recipe for mini carrot Bundt cakes is as delicious as it is easy to make. Plus, let your stand mixer sit this one out: You only need a whisk and mixing bowl to whip up the cake batter as well as the icing!

For some variety for the carrot cake lover, try my old fashioned carrot cake with pineapple. It's coated in a rich, homemade cream cheese frosting that is to die for. From the inside out, this moist carrot cake is one of my dad's favorite cakes of all time. It typically makes an appearance every March for his birthday!

Need a smaller cake? These mini carrot cakes are the perfect sweet treat. They're literally bite-sized layer cakes that friends and family will love for spring brunches and gatherings. Something about a mini cake just makes it even better.

For more desserts at springtime, try:

• 🌈 Funfetti Oreo cookies - Packed with rainbow sprinkles, they bring all the happy, cheery party vibes.
• 🐰 Bunny Sugar Cookies - Bake and decorate bunny cookies by following my easy recipe and tutorial. I include step-by-step photos to guide you throughout the process.
• 🫐 🍋 Lemon Blueberry Mascarpone Cake - This layer cake is a crowd pleaser packed with a winning combo of flavors.

Jump to:

• Why These Mini Bundt Cakes Need Carrots and Pineapple
• 📋 Ingredients for this Easy Recipe
• 🥕 Why You Should Shred Your Carrots
• 💡 Substitutions and Variations
• What is a Bundt Cake?
• How to Prep a Mini Bundt Pan
• 📖 Recipe Instructions
• Making the Tangy Cream Cheese Glaze
• Best Results: Baking in Grams
• Storage and Serving Instructions for Mini Carrot Cake Bundt Cakes
• 🌷 More Recipes for Springtime
• Mini Carrot Bundt Cakes

Why These Mini Bundt Cakes Need Carrots and Pineapple

Carrots and pineapple come together to make an incredible flavor in these mini cakes. Here's why: 

1. Moisture: Nobody wants dry cake. However, you don't need to worry about that when carrots and drained crushed pineapple are involved. Here, they both create a moist cake. Just be sure to drain the excess liquid. This step ensures that the cake rises properly and isn't moist to the point of soggy. 
2. Flavor and sweetness: When shredded, carrots release even more sweetness into this batter. In this Food52 article, Chris Kimball, formerly of America’s Test Kitchen, explains that shredding root veggies helps them taste both sweeter and fresher. Store bought ones are okay but fairly dry. Freshly shredded carrots work best. Plus, pineapple's juice lends sweetness to these delicious cake layers.   
3. Texture: The shredded carrots give a unique but good moist texture to these mini carrot Bundt cakes, alongside the small, juicy bits of pineapple in each bite.  

📋 Ingredients for this Easy Recipe

Shredded carrots and pineapple are two obvious stars in these mini carrot cake Bundt cakes. However, I’m including some highlights and other noteworthy ingredients. Find the full list of simple ingredients in the recipe card below. Everything here is fairly common and easy to locate at the grocery store, too.

• Canola oil – In addition to pineapple, canola oil also helps keep this cake moist. There is no butter in this recipe (and many carrot cake recipes) so oil is the fat that gives this treat its soft texture. A neutral tasting oil like canola is key so the other flavors in the cake can shine.
• Cinnamon – I love adding warm spices like cinnamon to carrot cake. You can use it in both the cake batter and as a dusting on top of the cream cheese frosting if you’d like. However, you could experiment with a combination cinnamon and other spices like ground nutmeg, cardamom, or ginger if you prefer those.
• Walnuts – I add walnuts or pecans to this carrot cake. They have different flavor profiles, but each brings a nice texture so choose your favorite. I also tend to decorate the outside with pecans as I like their shape, but either walnuts or pecans will do! If you have a nut allergy or dislike for them, though, this recipe will still taste delicious without them.

🥕 Why You Should Shred Your Carrots

Pre-shredded carrots might seem like a convenient option, but they’re not ideal for baking. Here's why:

• Too Dry – Grocery store pre-shredded carrots are often dry and firm. They’re cut thicker and designed for salads, not baking. This means they don’t release as much moisture into the batter, leading to a drier cake.
• Less Flavor – Freshly grated carrots have a naturally sweet and earthy flavor. Meanwhile, pre-shredded ones lose some of their taste over time.
• Texture Issues – Since pre-shredded carrots are larger and firmer, they don’t soften as well in the cake. Grating your own creates finer, softer pieces that blend more seamlessly into the batter.

For the best results, grab a few large carrots, peel them, and grate them using a box grater or a food processor. The extra step makes a big difference in both texture and flavor!

💡 Substitutions and Variations

• Shredded Coconut - This would be a fun ingredient to add to your batter or on top of each tiny carrot cake to dress it up.
• Coconut Oil - This oil would introduce notes of coconut, but if you like that flavor and aroma, this is a good swap to consider! Remember to use a neutral oil if you don't want to alter the cake's flavor, though.
• Raisins - This is yet another ingredient that you could mix into the carrot cake batter or add when you decorate your cooled cakes.
• Pecans - I actually use walnuts and pecans pretty interchangeably in carrot cake.
• Sour Cream or Greek Yogurt - In a pinch, instead of cream cheese, I've used these two substitutes to make a tangy glaze. To do this, whisk together ½ cup sour cream (or yogurt), 1 cup powdered sugar, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until smooth. If needed, add a splash of milk to reach your desired consistency (or more sugar to thicken the glaze). Drizzle over the cooled cakes for a lighter, slightly tart alternative to cream cheese frosting.
• Orange Zest or Lemon Zest – Personally, I do not usually add citrus. I love the classic sweetness that carrot cake gets from pineapple and carrot. But if you're a fan of a hint of orange in your desserts, some zest can brighten up the flavors and complement the warm spices with a subtle citrusy note. Try adding 1 to 2 teaspoons of finely grated zest to the batter.

What is a Bundt Cake?

A Bundt cake is a bit of a misnomer. The name refers to the ring-shaped pan, known as a Bundt pan, that holds your cake. Oftentimes there is a middle section that's a central tube or "chimney."  This feature helps the cake cook evenly and promotes uniform baking so that the cake's edges bake at a similar rate as its middle.

Bundt pans are great for making cakes because they already have a decorative aspect to them. They come in a wide variety of beautiful shapes, sizes, and intricate designs. With a little glaze, dusting of powdered sugar, or icing you can dress them up very easily.

How to Prep a Mini Bundt Pan

All the pretty grooves of a Bundt pan need to be properly coated so that it releases your cute little cakes once they've baked. 

1. Grease the pan: Use a pastry brush or paper towel to evenly coat the interior of the Bundt pan with melted butter, vegetable oil, or shortening, ensuring all nooks and crannies are covered.
2. Dust with flour: After greasing, lightly coat the pan with flour to create an extra barrier that helps prevent sticking.
3. Remove excess flour: Tap the pan over the sink or garbage can to shake off any excess flour, leaving a thin, even layer.

If you have a high-quality pan that you flour and grease well, you should not have any issues. You can also spray your pan with Baker’s Joy or a homemade equivalent of baker’s release spray. This helps ensure your cakes come easily and cleanly out of your pan once they’ve baked and cooled.

If you’re properly preparing your pan but still having issues, it could be that you need a new pan. As cake pans age, they can lose their ability to conduct heat as well as they once did.

📖 Recipe Instructions

Preheat and prepare the pan: Preheat oven to 350°F after you've buttered and floured a 6-cavity mini Bundt pan or coated it with baking spray.

Mix wet ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together sugar, canola oil, eggs, vanilla extract, and pineapple.

Add dry ingredients: Stir in flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon until combined.

Fold in mix-ins and fill pan: Gently fold in grated carrots and nuts, then divide the batter evenly among the mini Bundt cavities.

Bake and Cool Cakes: Bake for 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cakes comes out clean. Then let them cool in the pan for about 15 minutes before flipping them onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Making the Tangy Cream Cheese Glaze

Warm the cream cheese: As the cake cools, gently warm cream cheese in a medium bowl. Use short 10-second bursts in the microwave on low power until runny enough to whisk (about 30-45 seconds total).

Adjust consistency: Add liquid as needed to reach your desired thickness.

Glaze the cakes: Drizzle the cream cheese glaze over the six mini Bundts.

Add toppings (optional): Sprinkle with cinnamon or crushed nuts if desired.

Storage and Serving Instructions for Mini Carrot Cake Bundt Cakes

Refrigerating - Due to the dairy in the cream cheese icing, I recommend keeping these cakes in the refrigerator between serving them. 

They'll still taste great up to roughly 4 days after baking.

I recommend serving them at room temperature, so bring them out of the refrigerator about an hour before you'd like to share them.

Freezing - So long as you keep your cakes in an airtight container and seal it well, you may also freeze these cakes for up to 3 months. 

Let cakes thaw for a few hours at room temperature before serving.

🌷 More Recipes for Springtime

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