Mini Carrot Cake

For the Fourth of July this year, my younger brother requested a carrot cake--it's one of his favorites, but it doesn't get made very often because there are other options, ya know, like chocolate. I was already making two types of ice cream and a giant Texas sheet cake, so I wasn't all gung-ho about making another big cake. Enter the mini cake idea. This little baby was only 6 inches, two layers. I adapted the recipe from several larger versions and added my own twist. The cake flour and extra cinnamon make this a lighter, more summer-worthy version than its heavier counterpart. Simple, light and sweet, this mini carrot cake barely made it through picture time.

Mini Two-Layer Carrot Cake

Ingredients

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cake flour
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
pinch of salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 eggs, beaten and at room temperature
1 1/2 cups finely shredded carrots
2/3 cup cooking oil
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
1/4 cup sour cream
1 recipe Cream Cheese Frosting, prepared (I add cinnamon to mine)
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans, toasted (optional)

Directions

Grease and line with parchment paper two 6-inch round cake pans. Set pans aside. In a large mixing bowl stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.

In a medium bowl, combine eggs, carrots, oil, vanilla, almond extract, maple syrup, and sour cream. Add egg mixture to flour mixture; stir until combined. Pour batter into the prepared pans.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for ten minutes before removing from pans. Cool thoroughly on racks. (At this point, if I'm in a hurry to frost them, I put them in the refrigerator.)

Frost middle, sides, and top with the cream cheese frosting. If you want, sprinkle chopped pecans over frosting. Et voila!