Carrot Mug Cake

This Carrot Mug Cake uses only a few simple ingredients including fresh grated carrots and cooks right in the microwave. Top the moist carrot cake with a dollop of cream cheese frosting for a delicious single serving dessert.

I especially love carrot cake in the Spring around Easter, but it's great year round too! If you want your pup to join in the fun, try this recipe for carrot cake for dogs.

I love making mug cakes! They're the perfect option when I am craving something sweet but don't want to take the time to make a whole batch of something. Some other mug cake favorites are this Oreo Mug Cake, Sugar Cookie Mug, Chocolate Chip Cookie in a Mug, and 3-Ingredient Nutella Mug Cake.

Jump to:

• Why I Love It
• Ingredients and Equipment
• Step by step instructions
• Leftovers and Storage
• Recipe Tips
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Related Recipes
• Recipe
• Reviews

Why I Love It

• Ready in Minutes - It takes only minutes to mix up and cook in the microwave.
• Fresh Carrots - Adding fresh grated carrots adds that classic carrot cake flavor and moisture to the mug cake.
• Cream Cheese Frosting - While the carrot mug cake is great on its own, topping it with cream cheese frosting (no mixer needed) takes it over the top! I also top this red velvet mug cake with the same cream cheese frosting.

Ingredients and Equipment

• Fresh Grated Carrots - You can use a box grater or other cheese shredder to quickly grate carrots. You need to use fresh so the pieces are small and they have more moisture than store-bought shredded carrots.
• Oil - Use canola oil or other neutral flavored oil like avocado oil
• Milk - You can use whole milk, low fat milk, or nonfat milk.
• Vanilla Extract
• All-Purpose Flour
• Brown Sugar - You can use light or dark brown sugar
• Pinch of Salt - The tiniest pinch of salt helps balance the sweetness.
• Baking Powder - A small amount helps the mug cake rise.
• Ground Cinnamon - This helps add the classic carrot cake flavor.
• For the Cream Cheese Frosting - Cream Cheese, Powdered Sugar, Vanilla Extract
• Microwave Safe Mug

Step by step instructions

This recipe for a microwave carrot cake mug cake takes only minutes to mix up and cook in the microwave.

1. Mix Dry Ingredients - Add the dry ingredients to a mug and stir to combine.
2. Add Wet Ingredients - Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir to combine. Fold in the grated carrots to combine.
3. 'Bake' in the Microwave - Cook the mug in the microwave. The cake is done when it is just set and still slightly sticky, but not wet, when you touch the top.
4. Frost - If using, mix up the Cream cheese frosting. You can soften the cream cheese in the microwave so that you can easily mix up with a fork. No mixer needed.
5. Enjoy - Dollop the cream cheese frosting on top of the cake and enjoy immediately.

Leftovers and Storage

Mug cakes are always best enjoyed right after cooking, but if you can't eat the whole thing then you can store the rest, covered in plastic wrap, in the fridge for a couple of days. It needs to be refrigerated because of the cream cheese frosting.

Recipe Tips

• Use Fresh Grated Carrots - Do NOT use the store-bought shredded carrots for this recipe. They are too large and are too dry. Use the fine shred option on your box grater to quickly grate up the carrot.
• Don't Over Cook - To make sure your mug cookie moist, you don't want to over cook. I recommend checking it earlier in the cook time, because you can always microwave longer.
• Any Microwave Safe Dish Can Be Used - This recipe doesn't have to be made in a mug. You could use another dish like a ramekin or even small bowl - just keep in mind that using a different size may impact the microwave cook time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Recipes

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