A soft and fluffy single serving carrot cake in a mug is the perfect easy dessert for Easter, or for any other day of the year too!
Why you’ll love this carrot mug cake recipe
- It tastes like restaurant style carrot cake packed with sweet carrots and cinnamon, in the convenient form of a portion controlled mug cake.
- Whip up the entire cake in under five minutes, with no oven required.
- Dairy free, egg free, high protein, high in vitamin A, and just 120 calories.
- Enjoy as a quick and healthy snack, or add frosting and toppings and serve for a decadent after dinner treat. A single serving carrot cake recipe that’s made in the oven or microwave and is secretly good for you? It doesn’t get much better than that!
Also try this reader favorite Chocolate Mug Cake
Step by step recipe video
Carrot cake in a mug ingredients
Flour – You need a fourth cup of flour. I like whole grain spelt flour because it adds nutrition and gives you a lighter texture than whole wheat flour.
Oat flour, cup-for-cup gluten free flour, or white all purpose flour work as well. Almond flour does technically work, but the cake will crumble so it is best to eat this low carb version straight from the mug.
Carrots – It sounds funny, but the easiest option is to buy carrot puree in the baby food aisle of your local grocery store. Alternatively, you can puree canned carrots or steam and then puree peeled fresh carrots in a food processor.
Sweetener – Choose any granulated sugar or granulated sugar free substitute. I like to use minimally processed or unrefined sugar, such as turbinado. White sugar, coconut sugar, or xylitol are also good options. Substituting pure maple syrup or honey will yield a somewhat gummy texture, so keep that in mind if you wish to use a liquid sweetener.
Milk of choice – Use any milk in your refrigerator, including plant based varieties like almond milk or coconut milk. You will also need a tablespoon of oil (coconut oil or vegetable oil), almond butter, or an additional tablespoon of milk for a low fat mug cake.
Vanilla – Look for pure vanilla extract instead of imitation, because it gives you the most natural vanilla flavor. If using vanilla flavored milk, you may omit the vanilla extract.
Spices and dry ingredients – The recipe also calls for half a teaspoon of ground cinnamon, a fourth teaspoon of baking powder to help with rising, and an eighth teaspoon each of salt and baking soda. Feel free to throw in a small pinch of ground nutmeg or ginger if desired.
How to make the cake
- Begin by greasing a small mug or two small ramekins well. Set aside.
- If you want to bake the mug cake in an oven instead of a microwave, preheat the oven to 350° Fahrenheit or 176° Celsius.
- Add the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, sugar or sweetener, and salt directly into the mug. Stir very well. (If using ramekins instead of a mug, simply combine all ingredients in a cereal sized bowl, then smooth the batter into the prepared dishes.)
- Now stir in the milk, optional oil or almond butter, vanilla extract, and pureed carrots until just evenly mixed.
- Microwave on high power until soft and fluffy. Time will vary by wattage of your machine, and mine takes around two minutes total. Alternatively, bake in an oven safe dish for fifteen minutes or until fully cooked in the center.
- Enjoy straight from the mug. Or let the carrot mug cake cool before going around the sides with a knife to pop the cake out onto a plate.
- If you want to make a cute double layer cake, carefully slice through the middle and frost each layer. Garnish with shredded carrot, diced pecans or walnuts, and raisins as you wish.
Frosting the mini carrot cake
The recipe tastes amazing topped with Coconut Butter or Coconut Whipped Cream.
Or I like to make a basic cream cheese frosting recipe by whipping 2 ounces cream cheese with 1 ounce butter, 1/2 cup powdered sugar or monk fruit, 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, and a few drops milk of choice if needed. (Use plant based cream cheese and butter for a vegan cream cheese frosting.)
This is simply a small batch of the frosting I use on my Carrot Cake Bars.
Carrot cake and frosting are meant for each other. But it need not be cream cheese! You can use almond butter, cashew butter, vanilla yogurt, or a dusting of powdered sugar if preferred.
Carrot Cake In A Mug
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup flour (30g) (or here's a Keto Carrot Cake)
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/8 tsp baking soda
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp sugar or sugar free xylitol (24g)
- 3 tbsp cup carrot puree (jarred or steamed from fresh) (45g)
- 1 tbsp water (15g)
- 1 tbsp oil or almond butter, or additional water (15g)
- 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- 1. Grease a small mug or two small ramekins well.
- 2. If baking in the oven instead of a microwave mug cake, preheat the oven to to 350° Fahrenheit (176° Celsius).
- 3. Stir dry ingredients in a cereal bowl or directly in the mug. Then stir in wet ingredients until evenly mixed.
- 4. Microwave on high until soft and fluffy. Time will vary based on wattage. Mine takes around 2 minutes. Or bake in an oven safe dish for 15 minutes or until cooked through the center.
- 5. Enjoy hot out of the mug, or allow the cake to cool before going around the sides with a knife and popping onto a plate.
- 6. For a fun double layer carrot cake in a mug, slice through the middle and frost with cream cheese frosting (recipe included above). Garnish with shredded carrots, chopped walnuts, and raisins if desired.
Video
Notes
More easy mug desserts
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!