Jennifer's Carrot Cake Bites

4.73 from 11 votes

This is one dessert that is to die for! My good friend Jennifer's carrot cake bites are so delicious, and the small size lets us feel less guilty for eating such a divine, moist, rich treat!

Course: Cake, Comfort Food, Dessert, Sweets

Cuisine: American

Keyword: carrot cake bites, Carrot Cake Cupcakes, carrot cake poke cake, frosted carrot cake, Poke Cake

Servings:

Calories: 431kcal

Author: Great Grub, Delicious Treats

Ingredients

For the Carrot Cake Bites

2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
3 eggs, slightly beaten
¾ cup vegetable oil
¾ cup buttermilk
2 cups sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 20 oz can crushed pineapple, drained
3 ½ cup carrots, grated
1 ½ cup coconut, flaked
1 tsp orange peel, grated
1 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)

For the Buttermilk Glaze

1 cup sugar
½ tsp baking soda
½ cup buttermilk
½ cup butter
1 Tbs light corn syrup
1 tsp vanilla

For the Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

½ cup butter, softened
1 8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups powdered sugar
2 tsp grated orange peel
2 tsp fresh orange juice

Instructions

Preheat over to 350°.
Lightly grease 2 8X8 baking dishes.
Line with parchment paper.
Lightly grease and dust with flour, set aside.

For the Carrot Cake Bites

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.
In a large mixing bowl, combined eggs, oil, buttermilk, sugar and vanilla.
Beat on low speed until well combined.
Stir in flour mixture with a wooden spoon.
Fold in grated carrots, flaked coconut, and crushed pineapple until combined.
Pour into prepared baking dishes.
Bake for 30-35 minutes or until tooth pick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Remove from oven and poke lots of little holes throughout.
Immediately pour the buttermilk glaze over both cakes.
Let cool in baking dishes for 15 minutes.
Remove cakes and let cool completely on a wire rack.
Spread the orange cream cheese frosting on top.

For the Buttermilk Glaze

In a small saucepan, combine sugar, baking soda, buttermilk, butter and corn syrup.
Bring to a boil.
Cook for 5 minutes, stirring often.
Remove from heat. Add vanilla. Stir until combined.

For the Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

In a medium mixing bowl, beat butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy.
Add vanilla, powdered sugar, grated orange peel, and fresh orange juice.
Beat until smooth.
Frost each cake once cooled completely.
Cut into small pieces and place in cupcake liners.
Enjoy!
Store in refrigerator.

Notes

Storage

Refrigerate for up to 4 days in an airtight container.
Freeze entire cakes wrapped in a double layer of plastic wrap and a layer of foil for up to a month. Or, wrap individual slices in plastic wrap and freeze for up to a month in an airtight, freezer-safe container.
Bring to room temperature before serving.

Tips

Loosely spoon your flour into your measuring cup and level it off with a knife to avoid using too much. Never scoop your flour out directly with the measuring cup.
Bring your cold cake ingredients to room temperature to facilitate better emulsification and create a more tender cake.
Mix your batter until just combined, meaning all the ingredients are moistened. Overmixing creates tough cake bites.
While not always necessary, I recommend sifting your powdered sugar for the frosting to ensure the best texture.
Be sure your cakes are fully cooled before frosting them. Even slightly warm cakes will cause the frosting to thin and lose its luxurious texture.

Recipe from my friend, Jennifer.
Adapted from Southern Living "Blue Ribbon Carrot Cake" April 1981

Nutrition