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Home » Type » Desserts » Cakes and Cupcakes » Carrot Cake with Maple Buttercream for Two

Carrot Cake with Maple Buttercream for Two

March 30, 2015 by Faith 14 Comments

Carrot Cake with Maple Buttercream for Two

When I shared my Valentine’s recipe for Fudgy Dark Chocolate Cookie Sandwiches with Raspberry Buttercream for Two, a friend asked (no, challenged was the word she used ;) ) me to come up with a healthy, yet indulgent carrot cake recipe that serves one or two.

Carrot Cake with Maple Buttercream for Two 2

My mom’s birthday was a couple weeks ago. I usually like some variant of chocolate cake for my birthday, but carrot cake just happens to be my mom’s favorite. The thing is, other than me, no one else in the family likes carrot cake. I saw no reason to make a regular-sized cake, but of course we needed some kind of cake (it’s a birthday requisite!) and my friend’s challenge came to mind.

Game on.

Carrot Cake with Maple Buttercream for Two 3Carrot Cake with Maple Buttercream for Two 4

This cute little cake is everything carrot cake should be; it’s moist with a tender crumb, sweetly aromatic, and lightly spiced. I added walnuts and raisins because my mom loves them, but if that’s not your thing, feel free to swap them out for what you like or just omit them.

I went with a maple buttercream here instead of a more traditional cream cheese frosting for the sole reason that I forgot to add cream cheese to my grocery list (oops!). It wasn’t a loss though; this frosting is also a really nice pairing with carrot cake.

What kind of cake do you like for your birthday?

Carrot Cake with Maple Buttercream for Two 5

Print
Carrot Cake with Maple Buttercream for Two
Prep time:  20 mins
Cook time:  40 mins
Total time:  1 hour 0 min
Yield: 2 servings (but you could probably stretch it to 4 if need be)
 
Ingredients
Carrot Cake:
  • ½ cup (65 g) all-purpose flour (or whole wheat pastry flour)
  • ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons walnuts, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons golden raisins, chopped
  • 1 large egg
  • 3 tablespoons light olive oil
  • ⅓ cup (67 g) sugar
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • ½ cup shredded carrot (about 1 medium carrot)
Maple Buttercream:
  • 4 tablespoons (50 g) salted butter, at room temperature
  • 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
  • 1 cup (115 g) powdered sugar
  • 2 to 4 teaspoons milk (more or less to achieve desired consistency)
Instructions
  1. For the cake, preheat the oven to 350F; butter and flour a 4-inch round springform pan.
  2. Whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and salt in a medium bowl; stir in the walnuts and raisins.
  3. Whisk together the egg, oil, sugar, vanilla, and carrot in another medium bowl.
  4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry all at once and stir until combined, being careful not to over-mix.
  5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted inside comes out clean, about 35 to 40 minutes; cool completely.
  6. For the buttercream, use a handheld electric beater to mix together the butter and maple syrup. Once combined, slowly beat in the powdered sugar and then gradually add enough milk so that it reaches your desired consistency.
  7. Once the cake is cool, slice off the dome on top so you have an even surface (you won't need the top dome, so go ahead and eat it). Slice horizontally through the cake 2 more times so you end up with 3 equal slices. Place what was the top of the cake upside-down onto a plate and spread frosting on top; place the center cake round on top of the first slice and frost; finally, place the last cake round on top (I save what was the bottom of the cake for the top because it’s usually the flattest piece). Spread the remaining frosting on the sides and top of the cake.
  8. Store any leftovers wrapped in the fridge for up to 5 days; let the cake come to room temperature before serving to soften the buttercream.
3.5.3251

If you’re looking for more birthday inspiration that’s a little different than your average cake, check out a few of my other cake recipes…

Caramel Apple Cake

Caramel Apple Cake

Cardamom Saffron Cake

Cardamom Saffron Cake

Yellow Banana Cake with Whipped Dark Chocolate Ganache

Yellow Banana Cake with Whipped Dark Chocolate Ganache

Filed Under: Cakes and Cupcakes Tagged: Birthday Cake, Cake, Carrot Cake, Dessert for Two, Desserts, Maple Buttercream, Mini Cakes, Recipes, Small Batch

Comments

  1. Cynthia says

    August 13, 2015 at 2:19 am

    would you just double everything if you wanted to make a regular sized cake?

    Reply
    • Faith says

      August 17, 2015 at 2:23 pm

      Cynthia, If you want to make one 9 by 13-inch rectangular or two 9 by 9-inch round cakes, I would quadruple the recipe and increase the baking time if necessary.

      Reply
  2. Joanne says

    April 3, 2015 at 7:27 am

    Love that this is two-person sized! I love carrot cake but probably don’t need a WHOLE CAKE sitting on my counter.

    Reply
  3. Laura (Tutti Dolci) says

    April 3, 2015 at 12:40 am

    What an adorable cake and the maple buttercream sounds so good!

    Reply
  4. Gwen @simplyhealthyfamily says

    March 31, 2015 at 6:22 pm

    Some of the best discoveries in the kitchen are from improvising when I don’t have an ingredient…. or two ;) I have to say, I don’t think I would share this cake so I’m calling it Emergency Solo Carrot Cake!

    Reply
  5. Ashley (QLCC) says

    March 30, 2015 at 11:56 pm

    What an adorable little cake! I love that it’s just big enough for two :)

    Reply
  6. Stephanie @ Girl Versus Dough says

    March 30, 2015 at 10:12 pm

    I love this lil’ cake! I usually have a strawberry cake for my birthday but I’ve been thinking about switching it up. This recipe might be the frontrunner!

    Reply
  7. Jennifer Stewart says

    March 30, 2015 at 4:21 pm

    I am so in love with this. Smaller portions are my thing! Can’t wait to make this!

    Reply
  8. Jenny D says

    March 30, 2015 at 4:11 pm

    I love the idea of maple frosting and on carrot cake, just sounds sublime :)

    Reply
  9. Marissa | Pinch and Swirl says

    March 30, 2015 at 12:01 pm

    Just stunning! I love the maple in the frosting AND that you made it just enough for two.

    Reply
  10. Tammy says

    March 30, 2015 at 11:48 am

    I absolutely love this idea Faith :D …I cannot wait to give it a try! Thank you.

    Toodles,
    Tammy<3

    Reply
  11. Stephanie Stuart says

    March 30, 2015 at 10:46 am

    Carrot cake is one of the things that got me through the hard times in the Army, I always looked forward to a slice in the mess hall. It’s such a treat and I look forward to your recipe!

    Reply
  12. Lori R. says

    March 30, 2015 at 10:10 am

    This is so great! I love dessert recipes in smaller portions. It’s so helpful! I have a huge sweet tooth, but I just don’t like having so many dessert leftovers since there are only two of us. I can’t wait to try this!

    Reply
  13. June Burns says

    March 30, 2015 at 4:46 am

    Such an adorable cake! I love it. The maple buttercream sounds delicious too :)

    Reply

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Hello and welcome to An Edible Mosaic! This is my recipe collection of international favorites and updated American classics with an emphasis on seasonal dishes. Here you’ll find a focus on real foods that sustain body and mind, bring people together, and make a house a home.

 

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I’m Faith Gorsky, the writer, cook, and photographer behind An Edible Mosaic. My goal is to inspire you to get in the kitchen and try something new! Feel free to email me with questions or comments.

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affiliate disclosure

An Edible Mosaic is monetized in part though affiliate links, and as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This means that if you click on an affiliate link and/or purchase an item after clicking on an affiliate link, I may receive a percentage of the sales price. I only recommend products that I love and use. To learn more, please read my Privacy Policy.

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