This carrot upside-down cake is a riff on my classic carrot cake-but instead of frosting a small two layer cake, I roast whole carrots, arrange them over a buttery maple caramel, and bake them underneath a tender, warmly spiced carrot cake.

Then comes the fun part: flip it.

The roasted carrots become a glossy, caramelized crown, and because this is a 6-inch cake, it makes just enough dessert for two tonight with a few slices left for tomorrow.

And if you are a cream-cheese-frosting person like me, don't skip the maple cream cheese whipped cream. It is lighter than frosting but still has that tangy cream cheese flavor that makes carrot cake so irresistible.

Jump to:

• Why make an upside-down carrot cake?
• Why roast the carrots first?
• Ingredients you'll need
• More Small-Batch Desserts for Two
• Small Carrot Upside-Down Cake for Two Recipe
• my new cookbook is here!

Why make an upside-down carrot cake?

When I was growing up, upside-down cake meant pineapple-usually pineapple from a can, with a bright red cherry in the middle.

I loved that cake, but I started wondering what would happen if I took the flavors of my favorite carrot cake and turned the whole thing upside down.

Turns out, carrots are pretty spectacular this way.

Instead of shredded carrots disappearing into the batter, whole roasted carrots become the star of the cake. Roasting brings out their natural sweetness, and then they bake under a buttery maple caramel until they are tender, glossy and syrupy.

And because I couldn't resist adding maple syrup to roasted carrots-because, really, why wouldn't you?-this little cake has a very good thing going on.

Ingredients you'll need

• Whole carrots - Look for small to medium whole carrots rather than the large, woody ones. I love using a mix of orange, yellow and purple carrots when I can find them. The different colors make the finished cake look almost too pretty to eat. Almost. Roast the carrots whole, then split them lengthwise before arranging them in the pan.
• Maple syrup, butter and brown sugar. This trio that creates the maple caramel. Real maple syrup brings a deeper, woodsy sweetness that works beautifully with roasted carrots. Butter gives the caramel richness, while brown sugar helps create that sticky, glossy layer that becomes the top of the cake when you invert it.

Carrots in the cake batter

• Carrots - Yes, there are carrots in the cake and carrots on top. The carrots in the batter are finely shredded so they melt into the cake, giving it the familiar moist texture you expect from carrot cake.
• Raisins - I like raisins in my carrot cake, so they stay. For the best texture, give them a quick steam before adding them to the batter. Place the raisins in a small bowl, sprinkle with a little water, cover and microwave for about 30 seconds. Let them sit covered while you make the batter.

Maple cream cheese whipped cream

This is not cream cheese frosting.

Instead, softened cream cheese is beaten with powdered sugar, maple syrup and vanilla, then heavy cream is slowly added and whipped until you have medium-stiff peaks.

The result is tangy, maple-sweet and fluffy.

Basically, everything I love about cream cheese frosting without having to frost an entire cake.

How to make carrot upside-down cake

Step 2 | Make the maple caramel

Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F.

Grease a 6-inch round cake pan and line the bottom with a round of parchment (see photos below). Grease the parchment, too.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the maple syrup and brown sugar and stir until the sugar dissolves.

Bring the mixture to a gentle boil and cook for about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice.

Pour the maple caramel into the prepared cake pan.

Don't let it sit there for an hour. That maple caramel is meant to become the crown-not glue itself permanently to your cake pan.

If a carrot decides to stay behind in the pan, simply lift it out and place it back where it belongs. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Make the maple cream cheese whipped cream

In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, powdered sugar, maple syrup and vanilla until smooth.

Slowly add the heavy whipping cream and continue beating on medium speed until the mixture reaches medium-stiff peaks.

That's it.

You want it thick enough to hold a spoonful on top of the cake but still soft and fluffy-not stiff like traditional cream cheese frosting.

Spoon it alongside each slice of warm carrot upside-down cake.

And then try not to eat it straight from the bowl.

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A small cake with just the right amount of dessert

This is exactly why I love baking in a 6-inch pan.

A full-size carrot cake is wonderful when you're feeding a crowd. But when dinner is just the two of you, I don't necessarily want a refrigerator full of cake for the next week.

This little carrot cake for two gives you dessert tonight, a slice or two for tomorrow, and no giant cake hanging around asking to be eaten.

Although, let's be honest.

That maple cream cheese whipped cream may not make it to tomorrow.

More Small-Batch Desserts for Two

If you love a dessert that doesn't leave you with a full-size cake sitting on the counter, try: