This 6-inch Single Layer Carrot Cake is super moist and fluffy with the warmth of cinnamon and chopped walnuts in each bite. Pair it with this creamy brown butter cinnamon cream cheese frosting, and you have yourself a delicious treat for spring, Easter, or any time of the year!
This easy single layer carrot cake, adapted from my Super Moist Carrot Cake Cupcakes, is the latest addition to my small batch recipes!
The key players in this cake recipe, which give it that moist and fluffy texture, are the vegetable oil, the egg, and—of course—the grated carrots.
The cinnamon adds a nice, distinctive, aromatic smell, and the chopped walnuts give it a nice bit of crunch! Of course, walnuts are an optional ingredient, but I do recommend including them. Or instead of walnuts, you can also use chopped pecans like I did with my Carrot Cake Cookies!
And what cake wouldn’t be complete without frosting, right? This cream cheese frosting has just the right balance between the sweetness from the powdered sugar and the nutty, aromatic flavors from the browned butter and cinnamon. It smells absolutely wonderful and pairs perfectly with the carrot cake!
Table of Contents
Substitutions
This recipe includes chopped walnuts as an optional ingredient. You can add them to the cake batter and as a garnish or leave them out entirely.
As a substitute, you can use chopped pecans. I’ve actually used both at the same time—walnuts for the cake batter and pecans for garnish.
I did not test this adapted recipe using flour substitutes, egg alternatives, or butter instead of vegetable oil.
To make regular cream cheese frosting (also a small batch recipe), use unsalted butter at room temperature instead of browned butter, and omit the cinnamon.
Tips for Making the Best Carrot Cake
Skip the mixers. For this single layer carrot cake recipe, you don’t need any mixers. Just some mixing bowls, whisks, a spatula, and a grater (for the carrots) will do the trick. To make the browned butter cinnamon cream cheese frosting, you will need a saucepan and a hand mixer or stand mixer.
Prep your ingredients. One of the keys to a successful recipe is prepping your ingredients first. For this carrot cake, you will want to grate your carrots and chop your walnuts (unless you bought them pre-chopped) before starting. I used this medium grater from Microplane. For chopping the walnuts, you can place them in a sealed plastic bag and break them up using a heavy spoon or rolling pin, or you can use this small food chopper.
Don’t over-mix the cake batter. Mix the ingredients until they’re just combined—meaning until you can no longer see it. This really comes into play when you mix the dry and wet ingredients.
Use cake strips. I mention this in my single layer chocolate cake recipe post as well, but using a cake strip—helps with getting a nice flat cake surface. I have a bunch from Wilton, which I regularly use with my cakes, and I love them!
Cool the cake completely. Whether you are frosting your cake the same day or planning to store it in the refrigerator or freezer, you will want to let it cool completely.
First, cool it in the pan for about 10 minutes. Then, carefully invert it onto a wire cooling rack to finish cooling. It’s one of my favorite steps with any cake recipe because you get this fabulous smell when you lift up that cake pan.
Helpful Baking Tools
How to Make Brown Butter
Use a light-colored saucepan. Using a dark-colored saucepan makes it difficult to see when the butter begins browning. I made this mistake when I first tried it and ended up burning it. No good.
Melt and brown over medium heat. From start to finish, you’ll want to melt the butter and brown it over medium heat. Do not boil it.
Bubble and foam. After the butter melts, it will begin to bubble up and foam, then subside. This is the water evaporating from the butter and when the butter begins to brown. From start to finish, this took roughly 7-8 minutes.
Continually stir. This is for both the melting and the bubble foam stages of browning butter. I used one of my GIR heat-proof spatulas, but a whisk will work well here too.
Color and smell. When your melted butter has turned to light golden brown color and has a nutty aromatic smell, it’s time to remove it from the heat. Another indicator that your browned butter is ready—seeing small brown bits at the bottom of your saucepan.
Pour and cool. Immediately after you remove the browned butter from the heat, pour it into a heat-proof bowl. Cover lightly with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator to cool and solidify. This takes roughly an hour. I used one of my glass mixing bowls.
Making Browned Butter in Advance
You can make brown butter up to 2-3 days in advance. Keep it in the refrigerator covered with plastic wrap, or use a sealed food container.
I made extra to use for some other recipes I’m working on. Some of them call for the butter to be melted, so I reheated the amount needed in the microwave. Use a food scale to ensure you’re using the correct amount for whatever recipe you’re making.
Need Tips on How to Freeze Unfrosted and Frosted Cakes?
Check out my single layer chocolate cake recipe! I give pointers on freezing an unfrosted and frosted cake or cake slices.
More Small Batch Recipes for You!
Single Layer Carrot Cake
Ingredients
6 inch single layer carrot cake
- 1/2 cup All-Purpose Flour
- 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
- 1/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp Salt
- 1/3 cup Vegetable Oil
- 1/2 cup Granulated Sugar
- 1 Large Egg, room temperature
- 1/2 cup Finely Grated Carrots
- 1/4 cup Chopped Walnuts, optional for either adding to batter or as garnish (can also use chopped pecans)
small batch browned butter cinnamon cream cheese frosting
- 1/4 cup Unsalted Butter, browned and cooled to solid state
- 4 oz Cream Cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
- 2 cups Sifted Powdered Sugar
Instructions
6 inch single layer carrot cake
- Adjust your oven rack to the 2nd level position (just above center) and preheat your oven to 350ºF. Generously spray a 6 inch cake pan with a flour based baking spray or grease and flour. If you choose, you can also add a 6 inch parchment paper circle to the bottom of the pan, and to the outside, a cake baking strip. Set to the side.
- With a small mixing bowl and a whisk, blend together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, ground cinnamon, and salt. Set to the side.1/2 cup All-Purpose Flour, 1/2 tsp Baking Soda, 1/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon, 1/8 tsp Salt
- In a separate medium-size mixing bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil, granulated sugar, and egg.1/3 cup Vegetable Oil, 1/2 cup Granulated Sugar, 1 Large Egg
- Add the whisked dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and whisk together until just combined. Be careful not to over mix the cake batter.
- Fold in the grated carrots and chopped walnuts (optional ingredient, can also use chopped pecans).1/2 cup Finely Grated Carrots, 1/4 cup Chopped Walnuts
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared cake pan and bake for 30-35 minutes at 350ºF or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool the cake in the cake pan for 10 minutes before inverting it onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
- Once cooled, frost with the small batch browned butter cinnamon cream cheese frosting. Garnish with chopped walnuts (optional ingredient, can also use chopped pecans).
small batch browned butter cinnamon cream cheese frosting
- In a medium-size (light colored recommended) saucepan melt the unsalted butter over medium heat. Continue to stir as the butter begins to bubble and foam, then subsides. This is the water evaporating from the butter. Continue to heat until the butter turns a light color brown and has a nutty aromatic flavor. From start to finish this step will take roughly 7-8 minutes.1/4 cup Unsalted Butter
- Immediately remove the browned butter from the heat and pour into a heat-proof bowl. Cover lightly and place in the refrigerator to cool and solidify. This takes about an hour. If you made the browned butter in advance, bring it to room temperature 20-30 minutes before adding.
- Using your hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment beat the browned butter on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy. Add in the cream cheese, vanilla extract, and ground cinnamon and continue to mix until well blened. Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl as needed.1/4 cup Unsalted Butter, 4 oz Cream Cheese, 1 tsp Vanilla Extract, 1/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
- Reduce the mixer speed to low, gradually adding in your sifted powdered sugar until it's well blended. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then mix on medium-high speed for 1-2 minutes more.2 cups Sifted Powdered Sugar
- Frost your cake once it's completely cooled.
Video
Notes
- Carrot cake and frosting adapted from my Super Moist Carrot Cake Cupcakes recipe.
- Recipe times shown only include the cake.
- For regular cream cheese frosting (also small batch), use unsalted butter at room temperature instead of browned butter and omit the cinnamon.
- Keep frosted carrot cake stored in the refrigerator, wrapped in plastic wrap (1-2 layers is good) for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
Nutritional information provided above is an estimate only and will vary based on specific ingredients used. See Nutritional Disclaimer for more info.
I want to make this in an 8″ or 9″ cake pan. How the heck do I do that
Hi Anne! Depending on how tall your 8 or 9 inch pans are, you could try doubling the recipe. If you make the cake as it is in an 8 inch it would be too thin.
Used a 6″ pan. Overflowed. Really disappointed.
Hi Ruth, I’m sorry to hear that happened. What size 6 inch pan did you use? I’ve made this in a 6 x 2, but recommend a 6 x 3.
Absolutely delicious! I had to substitute butter for the oil and it still came out amazing.
I am alone and it’s the perfect size. I also added some raisins. (I love raisins)
Thank you for making it, Liz, and for taking the time to leave your review! I love raisins as well so that sounds like a lovely addition!
What if you don’t have or use a baking strip?
The baking strip is optional, so it you don’t have one it’s okay. The baking strip just helps with preventing the cake getting a dome top.
The best cake I’ve ever had!!! (And I had plenty)
At last, the perfect carrot cake recipe!
Thank you for the kind words!