Mini carrot cakes in individual dessert cups are the perfect bite-sized dessert shooter for any occasion. Whether you’re hosting a party, looking for a unique favor idea, looking for a dessert to take to a party, or participating in a bake sale, these individual carrot cakes are crowd pleasers. Not only do they taste great, they make the cutest tiny desserts.

Miniature Carrot Cake Supplies

• Carrot cake ingredients. For a mini carrot cake recipe, I recommend using this normal size carrot cake recipe. It’s seriously so delicious. My favorite way to make it is with crushed pineapple in place of apple sauce. If you have a different favorite carrot cake recipe you love, feel free to use that. To make it easier to cut out the perfect size squares to fit in your mini dessert cups, bake your cake in a 13×9 inch baking pan.

• Mini carrot cake frosting ingredients. You will need ingredients for the frosting part of this recipe. Yes, this recipe is by the same person but she uses a different frosting for the cupcake version and, in my opinion, the cupcake frosting recipe is definitely better.

• 13x 9 inch baking pan, as mentioned before, this size and shape makes it easier to cut the perfect size squares for the mini carrot cake layers in the dessert cups.

• Parchment paper to line baking pan. This makes it easier to remove from the pan and remove your mini carrot cake layers.

• Walnuts, toasted and chopped to add to the tops. Takes the taste of these individual carrot cakes up another level. I just toast them in a pan on the stove for a few minutes until fragrant.

• These mini clear dessert cups are the perfect little cups for desserts and dessert shooters.

• This pink ribbon is the perfect width and shade of pink, so cute!

• These gold mini forks elevate the look of the dessert cups and are just the right size to scoop out the delicious carrot cake.

• Fresh or dried flowers or even a little sprig of greens would work well. Sometimes I forage my backyard for flowers or greens to add to projects.

• Piping bags – alternatively, you can use a plastic freezer bag if you don’t have any.

• Piping tip (I used this tip)

Steps to Prepare These Mini Carrot Cake Dessert Shooters

• Bake your cake in a 9×3 inch baking pan lined with parchment paper.

• Meanwhile mix up the cream cheese frosting

• Snip the end of your piping bag and add the tip. Fill it with frosting. I like to put my piping bag in a tall glass and wrap the ends over the edge while i add the frosting to the bag.

• Once the carrot cake is cooled, use your mini dessert cup bottom as a guide to measure how to cut a cube of cake the perfect size to fit in the cups.

• Add the cube of carrot cake to the bottom of your individual dessert cup.

• Top with a layer of cream cheese frosting using your piping bag filled with frosting. You’ll want to make sure the frosting goes all the way to each edge so you can see the layer from the side of the dessert cup.

• For the next layer, use the top of the dessert cup to measure the slightly larger square of carrot cake. I cut it just a tiny bit smaller than the top of the cup since it will fit further down into the cup where it’s more narrow. I then cut the layer in half horizontally so the cup doesn’t overflow.

• Press the carrot cake square into the cup on top of the icing layer.

• Add more frosting to the top and optionally add walnuts. Again, in my opinion, the walnuts pulled everything perfectly together and toned down the sweetness. Since they are only on top, those who don’t like walnuts can easily scrape them off.

• Top your miniature carrot cake dessert cup with the lid. If you aren’t traveling with the cakes, you could always leave the lids off. I was traveling with mine and wanted to add the ribbon, spoon and flowers to the top so using the lid was perfect for traveling or if using them at a bake sale or for a carrot cake favor.

Don’t they look like mini carrot cake trifles? So yummy and cute!

Decorating Mini Carrot Cake Dessert Cups

Whether you are adding a lid to the dessert cup or serving them sans lids, you can totally take them up another level but adding decorations.

Without a lid, you can decorate the mini carrot cakes. A few ideas: make mini carrots using candy melts, add cupcake toppers to go with the theme of the event, add a little carrot top, or add carrot shavings.

With the lid, the world is your oyster, you can add bows, stickers, raffia, you get the idea.

If you want to recreate the lidded look that I used, just tie the ribbon at the top of the mini dessert cup. Tuck a cute tiny spoon under the ribbon. To add a little more zhuzh, tuck in a sprig of tiny flowers or greens. To make sure the flowers stay in place, you could always use a glue dot or small piece of clear tape under the ribbon.

These individual carrot cake cups are perfect for serving at a party or giving as favors to your guests. They also make a great addition to a bake sale table, as they are easy to transport and sell. They are absolutely delicious and your friends will be asking you for the recipe after they ooh and ahh over how cute they are. If you make them, please send us a photo or tag us on social media so we can see how they turned out!