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Carrot Mug Cake

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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.

close up of spoon dipping into carrot mug cake with cream cheese frosting

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.

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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. For another single serve carrot dessert, try this Single Serve Carrot Cake that is baked in the oven.
  • 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 cream cheese frosting.

Ingredients and Equipment

grated carrots, milk, flour, baking powder, cinnamon, oil, brown sugar, and vanilla extract in small bowls
  • 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

How To Make a Carrot Mug Cake

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.
dry ingredients in mug
cake batter in mug
grated carrots mixed into cake batter
baked carrot cake mug cake without frosting

Recipe Tips

  • Leftovers - 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.
  • 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.
carrot mug cake with grated carrots in the background

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is butter not used in carrot cake?

Oil instead of butter is used in carrot cake. The oil helps make the cake super moist and tender.

Are mug cakes supposed to be gooey?

Mug cakes should still be moist and tender with a slightly sticky consistency. You can gently touch the top to test if the cake is just set and still slightly sticky. You don't want to overcook them where they become dry.

spoon holding bite of carrot cake that shows the grated carrots

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Recipe

Carrot Mug Cake

carrot mug cake with cream cheese frosting
Print Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 1 review

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. 

  • Author: Kathleen Hansen
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 2 minutes
  • Total Time: 7 minutes
  • Yield: 1 mug cake
  • Category: Dessert, Mug Cake
  • Method: Microwave
  • Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Carrot Mug Cake

  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar, light or dark
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • Pinch of kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon canola oil, or other neutral oil
  • ¼ cup milk
  • ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 tablespoons fresh grated carrots

Cream Cheese Frosting (optional)

  • 2 tablespoons cream cheese, softened
  • 2-3 tablespoons powdered sugar
  • ⅛ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Mix Dry Ingredients - Add the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, salt) to a mug and stir to combine.
  2. Add Wet Ingredients - Add the wet ingredients (oil, milk, vanilla) 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 for 1.5-2 minutes. The cake is done when it is just set and still slightly sticky, but not wet, when you touch the top. Do not over cook it or it will dry out.
  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.

Notes

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.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 mug cake (without frosting)
  • Calories: 346
  • Sugar: 21.9 g
  • Sodium: 65 mg
  • Fat: 14.4 g
  • Carbohydrates: 49.8 g
  • Fiber: 2 g
  • Protein: 5.6 g
  • Cholesterol: 1.2 mg

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  1. Monica says

    Can't wait to try this.

    Reply

    • Kathleen Hansen says

      Yay! I hope you love.

      Reply

  2. Katie says

    I LOVE carrot cake so love that this is an easy single-serve version.

    Reply