Carrot Cake In A Mug –
Raise your hand if you like carrot cake.
Jump up and down if you’d like a single-serving carrot cake in a mug that takes less than 5 minutes to make and is so healthy you can eat the entire recipe in one sitting.
Yes, you really can.
Of course you’ll want frosting.
I used this recipe: Healthy Cream Cheese Frosting.
Carrot cake is nothing without frosting! Alternatively, you can use vanilla frosting, peanut butter, or whatever your carrot-loving heart desires. It should be no surprise to you that my own carrot-loving heart often desires coconut butter. Slice the cake–or cakes–in half and then slather on that frosting!
Oh, um, and you can stop jumping up and down now.
People at work will start to think you’re crazy…
A “single serving” carrot cake recipe that can even be made in your microwave and is secretly good for you – it can’t get much better than that!
Carrot Cake In A Mug
- 1/4 cup spelt, white, or Bob’s gf flour
- just over 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/8 tsp baking soda
- 1/8 tsp salt
- optional 1/2 tsp ener-g or 2 tsp flaxmeal, to help it rise more
- 1 1/2 tbsp sugar, unrefined if desired, or xylitol for sugar-free
- pinch uncut stevia OR 1 more tbsp sugar
- 1/3 cup canned carrots, drained (or steamed carrots, peeled) (For a variation, sub with 1/4c pureed pumpkin) (60g)
- 1 tbsp milk of choice
- 1 tbsp oil OR more milk of choice
- 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
Carrot Mug Cake Recipe: In a small bowl, mix dry ingredients (not carrots). If you have a blender or Magic Bullet, mix all wet ingredients and blend. (For those without a blender, simply fork-mash the carrots very well before combining with the other wet ingredients.) Then mix dry into wet, and stir. Pour into greased ramekins or a little dish or mug. (I used two 1/2-cup ramekins.) If using the microwave, cook for 1 minute 20 seconds (or more or less, depending on the strength of your microwave). Or you can cook this in the oven at 350F for around 15 minutes. Let cool before trying to pop out. Serves 1-2. Scroll to the end of this post for a frosting recommendation.
View Carrot Mug Cake Nutrition Facts
Current Reader Favorites:
Black Bean Brownies – NO Flour Required
Banana Recipes – 30 Healthy Ideas
i love carrot cake, but the frosting on it is what totally makes it for me!! your single lady recipes are awesome – love them!
Haha I saw the title of this post and literally said out loud: “God bless you.” I am excited to try this one!!!
I’m so excited for this recipe! I gave up chocolate for Lent and the other night I was really in the mood for a mug cake, but all of the recipes I had for mug cakes were made with chocolate! This sounds amazing. Can’t wait to try it out!
I LOVE carrot cake … mostly because I love the cream cheese frosting. 😉 I love these mini cakes for one. Having too much cake around the house is always so tempting! 🙂
Carrot cake is my FAVORITE cake!
LOVE carrot cake! This will be a MUST TRY ASAP recipe!
I actually only started loving carrot cake as a vegan. Generally I enjoy the ones I make.
Yesterday I made the peanut butter frosting for the first time and still have some leftovers on hand so I have options! I never would have thought about peanut butter frosting on a carrot cake but I can totally see that working.
It is SO cute. I love the layered look.
Well, we always used to do raw carrot sticks dipped in pb… so why not? 😉
I agree, pb + carrots = something good! I love dipping carrots in pb…….could make that my meal sometimes…
I ADORE carrot cake!!! Love, love, love it! (but only if there are no raisins involved!)
I am TOTALLY with you on the raisins.
Give me all your raisins!!
I love carrot cake – but almost never think to make/eat it. This looks so delicious!
Looks good, I did want to let you know the WW points are not accurate (old points looked at calories, fat, fiber only…new points plus looks at total carbs, fiber, protein, fat and to my knowledge they haven’t released the formula–so you have to use a WW calculator to get the points plus value, whereas the old way you could quickly calculate it yourself). WW it’s probably 2 points plus for 1 serving and 4 points plus for 2 servings…
Oh no 🙁
I was so proud of myself lol (Sad?)
I googled “how to calculate weight watchers points for a recipe” and found the formula you mentioned–the old one. I’ll go edit my post now… thanks for letting me know!
It’s 2.
>.>
*runs away*
2’s better than 5 or 6 or 7 which what one usually runs at per slice
Thanks for mentioning WW points. I would love to make some of these, but have no idea how to figure the points. I know Katie doesn’t include ingredient percentages to calculate. Is there a way that you do it?
Thanks, I just saw on the Pumpkin Cupcake recipe that there is a nutritional value. Will all of your recipes have this in the future?
They all have had it listed since at least the beginning of this year 🙂
You just made my day! Looks amazing!! 🙂
What would happen if I grated raw carrot really finely and used that instead? I had no idea you could even get canned carrots! 🙂
I think you need the pureed carrots for extra moistness. But as stated in the recipe, you can use fresh (peeled) carrots– just steam them very well first.
I just made this with raw carrots and it turned out fine. I grated them on the finest side of my box grater (skipped the blending step) and added a little extra soy milk. I also added raisins (my favorite part of carrot cake) and frosting (tofutti cream cheese plus powdered sugar) and made a delicious dessert.
Yum! Does the nutritional info include the frosting? I <3 your blog.
No, as there is no specific amount of frosting listed (and you can frost with whatever recipe you wish).
wow, I wish you had posted this yesterday! I just made a full carrot cake because I’ve been craving it for Easter. And now I have a whole lot of carrot cake to eat – your single servings would have been helpful! I’ll have to save this for my next carrot cake craving!
Is there any way to make carrot cake chocolate??
I was thinking about it! I’ve never heard of it, but why not? I’m going to try with cocoa powder!! And maybe some chocolate chips…
I’ve done it. I just added a buttload of cocoa to a regular carrot cake recipe. It ended up tasting like a fusion of chocolate cake, ginger bread and carrot cake. It was awesome. Try it sometime =D
Good to know! I definitely will try it!
Yes, your WW points are inaccurate, unless you are referring to the old system and not Points Plus. On the current system, based on your nutrition facts, the points are 2 for one cake and 4 for the entire recipe.
Thanks for letting me know, Helen! According to another commenter, I WAS using the old system: I googled “how to calculate weight watchers points for a recipe” and found the formula with calories, fiber, and fat. I’m going to edit my post… but can you tell me how you calculate points based on the new system? I don’t know anything about Weight Watchers!
You can only calculate it with their proprietary calculator, unfortunately. With the old system you could make a really good guess but not so much anymore. It still uses fat/protein/carbs/fiber but you just plug those values in their calculator. You’d either need to pick up a calculater (like $6) or have a member calculate the values for you.
Oh ok thanks! I might have to get a calculator… I don’t understand what Weight Watcher points mean (or how many you’re supposed to have in a day), but a lot of people ask for that info to be included. I think spending $6 is perfectly acceptable if it’ll help people! 🙂
Thank you, Katie … having the WW+ points would be extremely helpful!
They have a sale on the site right now! They’re normally $12, but they’re on sale for $6 right now. 🙂 Here’s the link:
http://store.weightwatchers.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product2_10151_10051_11960_-1_12106_12106_12106_ProductDisplayErrorView
The downside of the calculator is that you’d have to know the carb, fat, fiber, and protein content of your recipes. So, you’d probably have to use a free service online somewhere to calculate the full nutrition info first.
If you can’t view that, let me know… I’m a subscriber, and I LOVE your blog, so I’d totally send you one. 🙂 Also, just for a snapshot of WW–the points you can have in a day are based on your height, age, and gender. So, it’s different for everybody. For example, I’m a 23 year old female who is 5’4″. I get 26 points per day. Points are calculated by carb, fat, fiber, and protein content. Everybody also gets 30-40 extra points per week that they can use whenever, and earn extra points for activity. 🙂
Aw Sarah, thank you so much!
Someone actually left a link with a new formula in a comment below, so I’m going to try that out first.
Thanks for explaining it to me as well… I always thought everyone got the same amount of points. (See? I told you I had absolutely no clue how it works ;).)
This looks divine! I love carrot cake overnight oats or breakfast cookies. 🙂
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you for the Weight Watchers points plus info!!!
This looks amazing!! I think I’ll make it for my weekend brunch – with greek yogurt frosting! :p
The layering is brilliant. How did you do that? 🙂
Cut each cake lengthwise with a sharp knife. Then frost the middles and then stick the top back on :).
mmm that looks scrumptious
LOVE carrot cake! My birthday is this week, and when I was a kid, I requested a carrot cake for about 3 years in a row. My mom made the BEST cream cheese frosting. I didn’t even know the stuff came in a can until junior high. Although your version of the frosting sounds pretty delectable, too…
This is awesome because I love carrot cake, but my husband hates it. Now I can have it without wasting a bunch!
I used to not like carrot cake, but I like it a bit more now…..I never eat it, though! I would much rather have chocolate 😀
This looks amazing! I am so going to make this!! Yum!
So…. i raised my hand. And i also jumped up and down. Until you said to stop so i did. You see, I take things literally. So you, YES YOU, made a fool of me. In front of my WHOLE class. And they are all laughing at me. Thanks, Katie.
Did i mention I’m home schooled?- so my WHOLE class is my sister ( who has no class :D)
All for the love of carrot cake. And I’m adding chocolate. Sue me 🙂
p.s.- I (ok my sis) FINALLY got around to making your cookie pie. Um, what kind of idiot am I for not making it sooner? My dad LOVED it which says a lot. When he found it was healthy, yeesh, that was all he needed. Now we make it for dessert on our Friday movie/pizza nights. We also brought it to a friend’s house and it got a huge thumps up! May i also add it is great in a parfait for breakfast?! Thanks for a yummy tradition!
Aw Sarah, I am so glad… especially about the fact that you didn’t look like a fool in front of 20-30 people. I would’ve felt so guilty 😉 ;).
Yay for homeschoolers 🙂
I think this is one of the most fabulous things I’ve ever seen!! I LOVE carrot cake!!
I love that it’s layered!
I will need to make this today.
Emphasis on NEED.
Thank you for sharing!
I looove carrotcake with creamcheasse frostting
I too am also a fan of the single serving desserts–that way I can’t over do it.
I’m a huge fan of carrot cake. Isa M. (the Post Punk lady) has an awesome macadamia, coconut one in her PPK cookbook that is my absolute fave.
I will most definitely have to try this one out–too easy not to 🙂
And, I don’t think I’ve mentioned this, but I have to compliment you Katie on your amazing food photos. I’ve been following your blog for awhile (back when it chocolate covered vegan, which btw, my HUSBAND thinks your new name CCK, is brilliant!) and I’ve noticed how you’ve really developed some skills. Your pictures are beautiful to look at, I really appreciate that. You go girl.
Wow, thank you! And an even bigger thank you for following me that long! My blog was all over the place when I first started, with links going everywhere… I don’t even know if I would’ve had the patience to follow me back then ;).
I am SO happy to have found your blog!! Love Love LOVE…everything I have whipped up! Can’t wait to try the carrot cake tonight! You rock!!
i love your single lady recipes, Katie. They are SO easy and perfect if you don’t need too many leftovers. i adore carrot cake, so this is on my to-bake list. 🙂
I am confused, you say use “egg” and then in parens have flax and chia seeds. Does that mean to use chia seeds instead of egg? or in addition to?
Sorry, I didn’t mean to be confusing! In my idea of a perfect world, everyone would have ener-g egg replacer, because it is economical and awesome ;). That works really well in this recipe. But I know most people don’t have it or want to buy it, and so I tried to give options. The flax or chia options are IN PLACE OF a real egg, not in addition to one.
Once again, sorry to be confusing. I wasn’t sure the best way to word it.
Sorry. I know this is an older post. I had the same question mark on the “1/2 egg” bit. You also mentioned (above) that the flax or chia options are “in place of a real egg”. So, which half? The white or the yolk? Thanks in advance.
My kids and I are big carrot fans. Love the cute cake pics <3
Looooove when you make those single serving recipes.
Carrot cake is my favorite cake! I think you read my mind 😉
Yay for this single lady recipe! I have made almost all of your other ones and it always feels like such a treat to have a mini-cake for dessert! I like carrot cake as long as it doesn’t have fruit in it so this looks perfect to me! Can’t wait to make it– and top it with that frosting… yum!
carrot cake is my favorite cake! So excited to make this!
how much stevia is in one packet?
The packets aren’t pure stevia, so it’s hard to say. If you’re using pure stevia, substitute however much you’d use for 1 tablespoon of sugar.
i love carrots! haven’t had carrot cake in a looooong time though. Thanks for posting this katie 🙂
I am new to your site and I LOVE it! I’m not sure what you mean by “1/2 egg of choice”. I keep milled flax seed in the house so what would the equivalent be? Thanks!
Sorry, I didn’t mean to be confusing! In my idea of a perfect world, everyone would have ener-g egg replacer, because it is economical and awesome :). That works really well in this recipe. But I know most people don’t have it or want to buy it, and so I tried to give options.
I don’t personally have experience working with flax or chia eggs, but if you google how to make them, just use HALF the amount it says to use for one egg.
Once again, sorry to be confusing!
From another commenter:
A ‘standard’ flax egg replacement is 1T ground flax to 3T water. Mix and let sit for a bit before using.
Wow, I didn’t know you could do that! Thanks for the info! 🙂
Katie: I know I’ve mentioned the flax seed combo nut make sure its warm water 🙂
I know some people actually use boiling but I’ve never done that and its worked just fine
I LOVE carrot cake and I love the idea of putting icing in the middle too like a proper sandwich cake! These nutritional stats are INSANE!
I LOVE carrot cake, especially with chocolate or carob chips!
Thank you for all the fabulous Single Lady Recipes – they are my fav because of the portion control…even though I’m not a “single lady”!
Portion control…? What do you mean? Do you think that thIS recipe is perfect to all people? No matter what size they are?
Karin, I’m not sure what you’re asking in your question, but mug cakes (or single-serving microwave cakes) are quite common. Many people–of all sizes–like them because they’re fast, economical, and lest wasteful if you don’t want to be left with a big cake.
this looks so delicious and easy! I’m definitely making this sometime this week 🙂
I don’t understand the problem about making too much cake? Do you really need a recipe for one person only?? Can’t you just make half or fourth the recipe ? Or WHAT…?
See my answer to your question when you asked it above.
It was infact not me asking the other question, that was my sister, we are using trhe same pc.
That doesn’t really change the answer… if you aren’t interested in single-serving recipes, why bother reading through one (and then commenting on it)? Clearly there are many people here who appreciate them. It’s nice to be able to make only one portion when you live alone, or perhaps are the only one in the household who enjoys a certain type of food, or merely don’t want the temptation of an entire (or even a half) cake around the house. In addition, the ability to quickly prepare mug cakes using a microwave rather than turning on the entire oven, waiting for it to preheat, etc etc is a draw for many of us. Not sure why you feel the need to ridicule that idea; just move on and look for other recipes to your liking.
This recipe looks stellar so it’s definitely getting bookmarked for later. I also came here because my local whole foods co-op said that April 3 is National Chocolate Mousse Day. I’ll be making your recipe for that this afternoon.
Wow, I had no idea! Darn it, I’m out of coconut milk too.
But I do have tofu… might have to make a chocolate mousse pie ;).
This just made my DAY!!! I actually was happy dancing at work, so people probably think I’m crazy. Thank you so much for the Weight Watcher’s points. As a dairy-free girl who is on Weight Watchers, this is such a huge help. YAY CARROT CAKE!
Very pretty. I’ve never been a real big fan of carrot cake but you might change my mind!
So if I were to use Chia or Flax instead of egg, how much would I use?
Sorry, I didn’t mean to be confusing! In my idea of a perfect world, everyone would have ener-g egg replacer, because it is economical and awesome . That works really well in this recipe. But I know most people don’t have it or want to buy it, and so I tried to give options.
I don’t personally have experience working with flax or chia eggs, but if you google how to make them, just use HALF the amount it says to use for one egg. Once again, sorry to be confusing!
A ‘standard’ flax egg replacement is 1T ground flax to 3T water. Mix and let sit for a bit before using. I make muffins subbing out eggs this way and they are just fine. I do this because my son is allergic to egg whites.
Thank you, Helen! You are awesome!
70 calories? am i dreaming?
Pinned this!
There is something so uniquely “spring-like” about carrot cake, and I have been craving it like crazy lately! This is perfect so I don’t go making (and eating) a whole cake. Thank you, Katie!
Oh sweet bunny rabbits, carrot cake is my favorite!
I was just wondering about the nutritional information, though. I know you said that it’s based off of half the cake, but that still doesn’t seem right to me. This part here, “…for 140 calories, 1 gram fat” when the ingredients list 1 tablespoon of oil.1 tbsp of olive oil has 120 calories and 14 grams of fat. I’m guessing that those stats are for a cake with no oil and just more milk? Thanks!
From what I’ve seen in cookbooks, it’s standard practice when calculating nutritional info to use the lower of the two items if two are given (such as with the oil and milk).
Sorry to be confusing!
Nah, it’s not a problem, don’t worry about it, I had a feeling that was it, but I just wanted to double check anyway! Thank you!
That looks mighty tasty! I also thought you might be interested to know that (according to my local whole foods co-op) April 3rd is National Chocolate Mousse Day. They have some vegan/gf mousse, but I’m betting it’s not as good as your recipe… which I am making this afternoon.
Ooo I need to celebrate!
WOW! This looks awesome… sounds like the perfect recipe for an Easter treat!
Hey Katie!! I love this recipe, but I was wondering if your calorie count was off? Or if you were not counting the oil and sugar? I mean just half the flour would be 55 calories so…. Sorry 🙁 I do not mean to be a bother, just a little curious.
Now I’m curious too where/how the nutrition is calculated. I just threw the recipe into my WW recipe calculator (only the ingredients that affect points, so sugar, egg, flour, oil, milk) and it comes up with 9 points for the whole recipe, or 5 pts if you eat half. So the nutrition seems to be way off, unfortunately.
Nope, the nutrition is not off. As is standard practice for nutrition facts, when two items are listed in an ingredient list, the lower of the two is used for calculations :).
(So milk, not oil)
Katie, WOW!!! Just wow!!!!! A friend recommended that I make your deep dish chocolate chip cookie pie, which I did last night (amazing!) and after staying up WAY past my bedtime reading your delicious recipes one after another, I didn’t think it could get any more awesome. But then it did, with this carrot cake!!! My husband is a huge carrot cake fan, so he’ll love it for sure, and I justlearned about the wide world of egg substitutes from the comment section here. From a fellow Texan (now on the East Coast), I send you a BIG THANK YOU!!!!!
Wow, thank you so much for such a sweet comment!
As for the egg thing, I recommend the ener-g stuff to people who aren’t even vegan, because it’s just so gosh-darn simple. It yields a ton of servings, keeps for years, and you don’t have to worry about running out of eggs ;). I really should try chia “eggs” one of these days, though.
Why am I away from a kitchen right now?? I need to make this! Carrot cake is the bomb!
Oh my gosh. I’m making this for my snack this afternoon. I’m pairing it with my first batch of your peanut butter eggs…and for breakfast I made some of your blueberry pancakes. I’m just dousing my day in chocolate the Katie way!!!
What a delicious cake! I love how easy it is. The perfect Easter treat! I love carrot cake too, especially the frosting. 🙂
Katie!!!!
This is my new favorite recipe of yours! As soon as I saw it, I CURSED myself for not having canned carrots in the house so I could make it right that very moment. But then I realized I did have fresh ones, and so I boiled them and made that cake right away. I LOVED it!
My hubby loved it too, which is shocking to me! I can’t believe I got a vegetable into him, and he actually liked it! Your blog has changed our lives. THANK YOU!
And now I know what I’ll be having for breakfast every single day for the rest of the year and beyond ;).
I never knew I was a carrot cake fan until one day out of the blue I got a craving for carrot cake muffins, looked up a recipe and devoured half the batch in one day!
This made me laugh.
Carrot cake sort of hit me the same way…and yes, I have had those days in which 1/2 or more of a batch of something is suddenly gone. 🙂 (Zucchini bread being one of those somethings…on that subject, I think when I make this carrot cake I will add walnuts!)