Small Carrot Upside-Down Cake for Two Recipe
A small-batch carrot upside-down cake made in a 6-inch pan with roasted rainbow carrots, buttery maple caramel, and a tender, warmly spiced carrot cake. Serve it with maple cream cheese whipped cream for a dessert that's just right for two—with a little left for tomorrow.
Servings: 4 to 6 slices
Ingredients
Roasted Carrots:
- 4 to 6 whole carrots, peeled. Use a mix of colored carrots
- 1½ tablespoons olive oil
- kosher salt
Maple Carrot Cake
- ½ cup maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Carrot Cake Batter
- ¼ cup dark raisins
- 1 cup carrots , washed and shredded
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour plus 2 tablespoons, sifted
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 rounded teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup dark brown sugar firmly packed
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil or corn oil
Cream cheese whipped cream
- 4 ounces cream cheese chilled
- 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
- 1 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract sifted
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
Instructions
Roasted Carrots
- Preheat oven to 400℉. On a baking sheet covered with foil, lay the whole carrots in a single layer. Coat 30-45 minutes, depending on the size of the carrots.
This can be done a day ahead. Just store in an air tight container in the refrigerator.
Maple Carrot Cake
- Preheat oven to 350℉ /175 ℃ with a rack in the middle of the oven. Grease a 6-inch cake pan and line it with a greased parchment round.Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a small pan over medium heat; add maple syrup and brown sugar and cook, stirring, until sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil and cook for another 2 minutes; remove from heat and set aside. When mixture has cooled a bit, pour it into a 6-inch round cake pan.Split the roasted carrots lengthwise and arrange them over the sugar mixture.
Cake Instructions:
- To steam the raisins, place them in a small glass bowl, sprinkle with water, cover and microwave for about 30 seconds. Leave them covered and sitting in the microwave.
- Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and cocoa in a bowl and set aside. In a medium bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer (if using), whisk the eggs. Whisk in the vanilla, both sugars, and the oil until smooth and thoroughly combined. If using your mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients and mix only until incorporated. Stir in the carrots and raisins.
- Carefully spread batter over the carrots, using a spatula to make sure it is evenly distributed. Bake until top of cake is golden brown and edges begin to pull away from sides of pan, about 45 to 50 minutes; a toothpick inserted into center should come out clean. Let cake cool for 5 minutes.
- Run a knife around edge of pan; put a plate on top of cake and carefully flip it so plate is on bottom and pan is on top. Serve the warm or at room temperature with cream cheese whipped cream.
Cream cheese whipped cream
- Using a hand-held mixer or stand mixer, beat cream cheese, sugar, maple syrup and vanilla in bowl on medium high speed until medium-stiff peak, 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl as needed. Serve immediately. Leftovers will last for a day.
Notes
Roast the carrots ahead: Roast them up to one day ahead and refrigerate until you're ready to assemble the cake.
- Use a 6-inch cake pan: The small pan is what gives this recipe its just-right size for two.
- Don't skip the parchment: A parchment round plus a well-greased pan makes releasing the maple caramel much easier.
- Invert while the cake is still warm: Let it cool for about 5 minutes, then flip. Waiting too long can allow the caramel to set against the pan.
- Cream cheese whipped cream: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Give it a quick stir before serving if needed.
- Serving: The cake is wonderful warm, at room temperature, or chilled. I especially love it slightly warm with a cold spoonful of maple cream cheese whipped cream.