This Mini Pineapple Carrot Cake is perfect for smaller gatherings for Easter! The 6-Inch cake is moist, full of fresh carrots, and sweetened with diced pineapple. The cake is finished with a light cream cheese frosting and a candied nut topping.
Prep Time15 minutesmins
Cook Time25 minutesmins
Total Time40 minutesmins
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: 6-Inch Cake, Carrot Cake, Easter, Mini Cake, Pineapple
Use a box grater to grate the carrots. Drain the canned pineapple.
Preheat the oven to 350F degrees and adjust the oven rack to the middle position. Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit the bottom of the cake pan. Lightly grease and flour the cake pan and parchment. I use Pam cooking spray with flour.
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg.
In a medium mixing bowl, add the sugars, oil, and vanilla extract. Whisk to combine. Add the egg and whisk until incorporated.
Sprinkle the dry ingredients over the wet ingredients. Use a spatula to fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until no dry streaks remain. Add the grated carrots and diced pineapple and stir until just incorporated.
Pour the cake batter into the prepared cake pan and smooth out the top with the spatula. Bake the cake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the cake is springy to the touch and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out mostly clean.
Cool the cake in the pan set on a wire cooling rack for at least 10 minutes. Then, invert the cake onto the wire rack and carefully remove the parchment if it stuck to the cake. Flip right side up and allow the cake to cool completely on the rack.
Cream Cheese Frosting
While the cake is baking and cooling, make the frosting and candied nuts.
In a small mixing bowl, add the cream cheese and coconut cream solids. Use a hand held mixer and beat on medium speed until the mix is creamy and smooth. Add the powdered sugar (sweeten to taste) and vanilla extract. Beat for 1 to 2 more minutes until the sugar is incorporated and the frosting is fluffy and smooth.
I recommend refrigerating the frosting until ready to frost the cake.
Candied Nut Topping
Line a small baking sheet with a silicone mat or piece of parchment paper.
In a small skillet/frying pan, add the whole nuts and sugar. Over medium heat, use a silicone spatula to constantly stir and coat the nuts with the sugar as it melts. This should only take about 2 to 3 minutes. Do not over cook as the sugar and nuts can burn.
Carefully pour the candied nuts onto the prepared baking sheet and use the spatula to spread the nuts into a single layer. Cool completely. As the nuts cool, the sugar with harden and coat the nuts like candy. You can leave the nut whole, or rough chop them.
Assemble the cake - Place your cooled cake on a serving dish. Spread the Cream Cheese Frosting evenly over the top of the cake, then sprinkle the top with the Candied Nuts. Enjoy!
Notes
Serving Size - I have only tested this recipe as a small batch. I can't say for certain how doubling the recipe will turn out.
Pineapple - The pineapple provides sweetness and moisture to the cake. However, you can omit it if you prefer.
Coconut Milk - I used a small can (5.4 ounces) for this recipe. Native Forest sells small cans of coconut cream at Whole Foods, Amazon, or other online grocery retailers. Otherwise, use a regular size can and the leftovers can be used in smoothies.
Refrigerate the Coconut Milk - Refrigerate the can of coconut milk overnight. This causes the coconut solids and liquid to separate. We are only using the coconut solids.