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This carrot cake for one bakes in a ramekin in about 20 minutes, with warm cinnamon, grated carrots, and cream cheese frosting on top.
Featured Comment
“This is the best carrot cake recipe I’ve ever made and eaten.”
– Pam
Quick Look
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Equipment: 10-ounce ramekin
- Cook Method: Oven baked
- Servings: 1
- Difficulty: Easy
A single serving carrot cake with warm spices, grated carrots, and chopped pecans, baked in a ramekin and topped with cream cheese frosting.
About This Single Serve Carrot Cake
One ramekin, 20 minutes, and you’ve got a warm carrot cake with cream cheese frosting. No leftovers sitting on the counter for days.
I wanted a small carrot cake that tasted like the real thing. Warm cinnamon, sweet grated carrots, crunchy pecans, and that tangy cream cheese frosting you can’t skip. This small batch carrot cake has all of it.
Getting the ratios right for a single ramekin took some rounds of testing. Too much liquid and the cake turned dense and heavy. Too little fat and it dried out before the center set. I kept adjusting until the crumb came out tall, tender, and moist every time.
It bakes in a 10-ounce ramekin, and if you want to double it, use a 5×5 inch baking dish or two ramekins with the same bake time.
The frosting is simple: cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, vanilla. You can leave it off and dust with powdered sugar instead, but I think cream cheese frosting is what makes carrot cake, carrot cake.
If you like single serving cakes, try our single serving white cake, chocolate lava cake for one, or mini pound cake. For more recipes using carrots, our single serving carrot soup and carrot soufflé are worth a look.
Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this single serving carrot cake recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder.
Egg yolk: The yolk adds richness and moisture without extra liquid. A whole egg would add too much moisture for this small amount of flour, and the cake would turn out dense and heavy.
Save the leftover egg white for small batch meringues or mini Texas sheet cake.
All-purpose flour: Use the spoon-and-level method when measuring. Spoon the flour into your dry measuring cup and level it off with a knife. Scooping directly from the bag packs in extra flour, which can make the cake dry and tough. A 1:1 gluten-free flour works here too.
Butter (melted): Butter gives this carrot cake a richer flavor and a softer, more delicate crumb than oil-based versions. Most full-size carrot cake recipes call for oil, but in a single serving cake this small, butter makes a noticeable difference in taste without any greasy feel. Use it melted for the cake batter and softened for the frosting.
Sugar: White granulated sugar keeps this cake light and tender with a clean sweetness. Brown sugar would add moisture and a deeper molasses flavor, but it can also make a small cake like this too dense. White sugar gives a better rise for a single ramekin portion.
Grated carrots: Grate your own carrots with a box grater. Pre-shredded carrots from the bag have a cellulose coating that repels moisture, and they’ll dry out the cake. Freshly grated carrots release liquid as they bake, which is what keeps this carrot cake moist.
Extra carrots? Make single serving carrot soup or a small carrot soufflé.
Baking powder: The leavener that gives this cake its lift. If yours has been open for more than 6 months, test it: add 1/4 teaspoon to 1/2 cup hot water. If it bubbles, it’s still good. If it doesn’t, replace it before baking.
Cinnamon: The only spice in this recipe, and it’s enough. I kept this carrot cake simple on purpose. If you want more warmth, add a pinch of nutmeg or cardamom (see variations below).
Milk: Whole milk gives the best texture. 2% works fine.
Pecans (optional): Adds crunch and a nutty flavor. Swap for walnuts or leave them out entirely. Toasting the pecans in a dry skillet for a few minutes before chopping brings out more flavor, but it’s not required.
Use leftover pecans in a small crustless pecan pie or small batch butter pecan granola.
Block-style cream cheese: For the frosting. It has to be block-style, not the spreadable kind in a tub, which has too much moisture and won’t set properly. Bring it to room temperature before mixing so it blends smooth without lumps.
Use leftovers in a turkey wrap, small batch cheesecake bars, or a no-bake single serve cheesecake.
Recipe Variations
A few easy carrot cake variations to try with this mini carrot cake recipe.
Pineapple addition: Stir 2 tablespoons of well-drained crushed pineapple into the batter for extra moisture and a touch of sweetness.
Raisin: Mix in a tablespoon of raisins for extra texture and natural sweetness.
Walnut swap: Use chopped walnuts in place of pecans, or leave the nuts out entirely.
Coconut: Stir a tablespoon of shredded coconut into the batter, or sprinkle toasted coconut on the frosting.
Extra spice: Add a pinch of nutmeg, cardamom, or ground ginger along with the cinnamon for more warmth.
How To Make A Carrot Cake For One
These photos walk through how to make this single serving carrot cake recipe. See the recipe card below for ingredient amounts and full instructions.
Make the batter:
- Mix wet ingredients. In a medium bowl, use a hand mixer on medium speed or a fork to blend sugar, melted butter, egg yolk, and vanilla until smooth, about 45 seconds.
- Whisk dry ingredients. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
- Combine. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix until just combined.
- Add milk. Pour in the milk and mix until smooth.
- Fold in carrots and pecans. Gently stir in the grated carrots and chopped pecans.
- Transfer to ramekin. Pour the batter into a lightly buttered 10-ounce ramekin.
- Bake at 350°F (177°C) for 20-23 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Make the Cream Cheese Frosting
The frosting adds a rich, tangy finish, but the cake is just as good on its own with a dusting of powdered sugar.
- Blend the base. In the same bowl you used for the cake batter (washed and dried), mix softened cream cheese and butter until smooth.
- Add sweetness. Mix in powdered sugar and vanilla until fully combined.
- Frost the cake. Once the cake has cooled completely, spread the frosting evenly over the top.
This individual carrot cake recipe is sized for one ramekin. For cupcakes, try our small batch carrot cake cupcakes, which makes 5-6.
Expert Tips
Grate your own carrots. Pre-shredded carrots from the bag have a cellulose coating that repels moisture. Freshly grated carrots release liquid as they bake, which is what keeps the cake moist. Use the small or medium holes on a box grater.
Spoon and level your flour. Spoon flour into the measuring cup and level it off with a knife. Scooping directly from the bag packs in extra flour and can dry out the cake.
Use room temperature cream cheese and butter for the frosting. Cold cream cheese won’t blend smooth and will leave lumps. Set both out about 30 minutes before you start the frosting.
Cool the cake completely before frosting. Warm cake will melt the cream cheese frosting right off the top. Let it cool in the ramekin on a wire rack.
Toast the pecans for more flavor. Spread them in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fragrant. Not required, but it makes a difference.
Check your baking powder. If yours has been open more than 6 months, test it: add 1/4 teaspoon to 1/2 cup hot water. Bubbling means it’s still active. No bubbles, replace it.
Don’t overmix the batter. Stir the dry ingredients in until the flour just disappears. Overmixing develops gluten, which makes a small cake like this tough and dense.
Troubleshooting
Why is my carrot cake dense and heavy?
Too much flour is the most common cause. Spoon and level instead of scooping from the bag, which can pack in 20-30% extra. Over-mixing also tightens the crumb. And a whole egg instead of just the yolk adds too much liquid for this small amount of flour and will weigh the cake down.
Why is my small carrot cake dry?
Overbaking is usually the culprit. Start checking at 20 minutes and pull the cake as soon as a toothpick comes out clean. Pre-shredded carrots from the bag can also dry out the cake because their cellulose coating prevents them from releasing moisture as they bake.
Why is the center raw but the edges done?
Your oven may run hot, or the ramekin is too small. A 10-ounce ramekin gives the batter enough room to bake evenly. Lower the oven temperature by 25°F and add a few minutes to the bake time.
Why didn’t my carrot cake rise?
Check your baking powder. If it’s been open longer than 6 months, it may have lost potency. Test it by adding 1/4 teaspoon to 1/2 cup hot water. No bubbles means it’s dead and needs replacing.
Why is my frosting lumpy?
The cream cheese or butter was too cold. Both need to sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before mixing. If you’re already mid-frosting and it’s lumpy, microwave the mixture for 5-10 seconds, then stir again.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Double the ingredients and bake in a 5×5 inch baking dish or two 10-ounce ramekins. The bake time stays the same.
Cover the cake and refrigerate for up to a week. The cream cheese frosting needs to stay cold. You can also freeze it, tightly wrapped, for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before serving.
Yes. Stir in 2 tablespoons of well-drained crushed pineapple. Use canned or fresh, but drain it well so the extra moisture doesn’t make the cake soggy.
You can. Use the same amount of a neutral oil like canola or vegetable. The cake will be slightly moister but won’t have the richer flavor that butter gives this recipe.
Yes. Leave the pecans out entirely. The cake bakes up the same without them.
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this single serving carrot cake recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder or you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
If you’ve tried this carrot cake for one or any recipe on One Dish Kitchen please let me know how you liked it by rating the recipe and telling me about it in the comment section below.
Also, if you take a picture please tag us on Instagram (@onedishkitchen) we’d love to see it!
Carrot Cake For One
Equipment
Ingredients
For the cake
- ¼ cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons butter – melted
- 1 large egg yolk
- ⅛ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon milk
- ¼ cup grated carrots
- 1 tablespoon chopped pecans (optional)
For the frosting
- 1 ounce cream cheese – softened
- 1 tablespoon butter – softened
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Make the cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Lightly butter a 10-ounce ramekin.
- In a medium bowl, use a hand mixer on medium speed or a fork to blend sugar, melted butter, egg yolk, and vanilla until smooth, about 45 seconds.
- In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix until just combined.
- Pour in the milk and mix until smooth.
- Gently fold in the grated carrots and chopped pecans.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared ramekin and bake at 350°F (177°C) for 20-23 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.Let the cake cool completely in the ramekin before frosting.
Make the frosting
- In a small bowl, mix softened cream cheese and butter until smooth.
- Add powdered sugar and vanilla, mixing until fully combined.
- Once the cake has cooled completely, spread the frosting evenly over the top.
Notes
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
love this recipe, I swapped the peacans for walnuts have made it 3 times now its my goto receipe thankyou for sharing.
I’m so happy you love the recipe!
Insanely good Carrot Cake. I’m super happy I found your recipe. Thank you. I don’t even think this one needs a single tweak. Can’t wait to bake this one again for my friends coming over this weekend.
This makes me so happy to read. I’m thrilled you loved the carrot cake, and I hope your friends enjoy it just as much this weekend!
Very good!
Can you use BUTTERMILK. Prefer buttermilk to milk in this carrot cake??? I m not a baker pls be honest. I made the zucchini cake; great and gone!
Thank you, Sally. Yes, you can use buttermilk instead of milk in this recipe.
Instead of a cake I made 3 cupcakes and they were delicious. Unlike some carrot cakes that can be a bit dense/heavy, the crumb was moist and tender. I made them twice, tweaking the spices the second time as I found the first batch too bland. I also subbed oil for the melted butter for the second batch. A dusting of powdered sugar was all that I did for a frosting, and I actually preferred it to a cream cheese frosting. This recipe is a gem.
Can you double or triple to make a 8 X 8 cake?
Yes. Towards the bottom of the recipe page, just before the Recipe Box, we have provided a recipe to make a larger carrot cake. This cake is baked in a baking dish that holds 1.5 quarts which is a little smaller an 8×8 inch dish. You can use this recipe for your 8×8 but the cake may cook faster so watch your bake time.
Quick, easy to make, delicious. Thank you.
Do you have a cookbook if all your “Cooking for one”. I really enjoy your recipes.
Thank you. We have a cookbook called, The Ultimate Cooking For One Cookbook that you can find in our One Dish Kitchen Store (https://store.onedishkitchen.com/). It contains 175 recipes and half of those recipes are on our website. The other half are unique to the book. On our website, we have over 500 recipes, so not all of our recipes are in the cookbook.
Thanks. Made several of your recipes and loved them. Just ordered your book!
Thank you!