It’s my birthday and I made myself a cake. That’s normal, right? I wanted to celebrate with all of you internet friends! While birthdays are cause for celebration, I think that I do my best to celebrate life a little bit every day. I definitely think more days should include carrot cake (and if not in this cake version, then I can also settle for pancake form or steel-cut oatmeal).
This year has been so good to me that I can’t even start to list out my goals for the next – I already climbed the 14er I set my sights on for this summer, I am back in my fitness groove, this little blog is trucking along with more support than ever, and I am really content with where I am at home, work, and with friends.
I’m also smiling because my amazing family got me a vegetable spiralizer so I can make veggie noodles, and Noah splurged on a refurbished Blendtec (similar) so we can now drink smoothies every day- and make new recipes for this blog.
Now, for a bigger kitchen so I can upgrade from my little skillet cakes…
- 1 lb carrots
- ½ cup coconut sugar
- ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
- ½ cup milk (plant-based or regular)
- ¼ cup melted coconut oil
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups wheat flour
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ginger
- Pinch of salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 can full fat coconut milk, refrigerated overnight
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- Cinnamon for garnish
- Refrigerate your can of coconut milk overnight (or skip this step and make my small batch cream cheese frosting recipe, linked below the next photo).
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Using the shredder attachment of a food processor, shred one pound of carrots (you can buy pre-shredded carrots too, and chop finely).
- Mix all ingredients for the cake into a bowl until combined.
- Separate the batter into 4 small ~6" greased cast iron skillets, filling a bit over halfway, or one 13 x 9 pan, and bake for 20 minutes. Check doneness at this point and bake for another 5 minutes if necessary.
- Carefully remove the can of coconut milk from the fridge and open the top (do not invert the can). You will be able to scrape off the coconut cream from the top. Reserve the coconut milk below for another use.
- Whip the coconut cream with a whisk for a few minutes until light and fluffy. You can also do this with a hand mixer. Add in maple syrup to taste, and then spread on cooled cakes.
- If you want a layer cake, let the cakes cool and then stack one skillet cake onto another. You will get two cakes this way - or go big and you could do 4 layers!
This icing isn’t at all traditional, and is instead very light and refreshing. For a more traditional small batch of cream cheese frosting that makes the perfect amount for 4 little skillets, check out my small batch cream cheese frosting recipe.
And for those wondering, not only are these 6.5″ cast iron skillets from Lodge the perfect size for layered mini cakes, they also make fabulous cookie cakes.
As I write this, I am struggling to get over a stomach bug – so please cross your fingers that I am over it before my dinner at Acorn tonight! I won’t let it stop me from enjoying spring vegetable and potato gnocchi and grilled eggplant, or eating some more of this skillet cake when I get home.
Marisa
Amy @ The Little Honey Bee says
Totally normal because I did the same 🙂 HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! I am sooo happy you got a veggie spiralizer (you will become obsessed like me) and these pictures are absolutely beautiful. I neeeeed a skillet like this
Marisa says
Yesss, I loved your birthday cake too! Gotta try that recipe still. I have already made zucchini noodles and they were great so I’ll work my way through some recipes! Pick up a little skillet – so helpful for little things.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
Happy birthday!!!!!
Your a genesis…this is simply amazing and pretty 😉 Carrot cake is the best cake in my opinion!
(P.S. Feel better love!) XOXO
Marisa says
Thanks Rebecca! I am feeling much better!
Lisa @ Healthy Nibbles & Bits says
I LOVE carrot cake. Happy birthday! And, yes, it’s totally normal to bake a cake for yourself on your birthday! I did that, too! Hope you enjoy your new spiralizer and Blendtec!
Marisa says
Thanks Lisa! Wish I could share a slice!
Lindsay @ The Lean Green Bean says
this looks phenomenal. for some reason i’m a sucker for anything in skillets!
Marisa says
Agreed- last night at dinner I ordered the meatballs just because the people at the table next to us got them and I saw they came in a hot cast iron pan!
Becki @ Bites 'n Brews says
Happy (early) birthday! A spiralizer and a Blendtec?? Lucky girl!
Marisa says
I know! Everything on my wishlist! I might have dropped lots of hints.. 😉
Lauren says
Happy Birthday! I love using coconut to making icing/whipped cream. So light and refreshing. Also, I’ve had my eye on a veggie spiraler for some time now….I’m excited to see what you come up with 🙂
Marisa says
Yes, definitely refreshing! You should bite the bullet on the spiralizer – it is fun to make zucchini noodles (all I’ve made so far), and it’s not too pricey or big of a gadget.
Emily @ Zen & Spice says
I LOVE carrot cake. And I need a cast iron skillet.
Marisa says
I hope someone you love picks one up for your birthday next week! Start dropping the hints.. 😉
Cassie says
This is amazing. I’m so bad at cooking things in skillets, they always get stuck for me and I hate re-seasoning pans, but seriously, how did you ever come up with this? So impressed!
Marisa says
I did let the cake completely cool and then it came out pretty easily. I will add to the post that I greased the pan- oops! I need to work on seasoning my pans though.
Hannah @ CleanEatingVeggieGirl says
This looks and sounds amazing!!! I am SUCH a carrot cake lover so it is always awesome to find easy vegan recipes for it!
Marisa says
I hope you get to try it out!
Meme says
Happy happy birthday! Mine is two weeks from Tuesday and I’m planning out how I’ll celebrate on my blog 🙂
Hope you have a wonderful day, and this cake looks incredible!!
Marisa says
Planning for a birthday is the fun part!
Leigha @ The Yooper Girl says
Oh my gosh this looks SO yummy!! I am a huge fan of carrot cake. The pictures are awesome too. Also.. Happy Birthday! 🙂 Hope you are over the stomach bug!
Marisa says
Thanks Leigha! Yes, I was able to enjoy dinner last night!
Sarah @ Making Thyme for Health says
Carrot cake is my favorite!! I love that you made a healthy version. The icing looks amaaaazing.
I hope your stomach bug took a hike and that you were able to enjoy your birthday dinner!
Marisa says
Thanks Sarah! It did – we had an amazing dinner out (5 people total with lots of small plates is my favorite.. little bites of everything!).
Julia says
Happy belated birthdaaaay! It’s totally normal to make yourself cake on your birthday! You know what you like and if you’re gonna be eating them sweets, might as well make it good, amIright? This skillet carrot cake looks amazing! As in, I need to make it in my cast iron ASAP. That coconut icing? Sluuuurp!
Marisa says
Thanks so much, Julia!! Agreed- they have to be top notch. Get your skillet on!
Thalia @ butter and brioche says
what an awesome idea to do a skillet cake. i can never go past a good carrot cake and love that you used a coconut icing. thanks for sharing a great post!
Marisa says
Thanks Thalia! I love using the skillets for sweet things 😀
Jessie says
I sure wish you were around for my birthday. This looks way too good.. but because I don’t argue w/ your baking abilities, I’m gonna say it’s awesomem!! Adding it to my bookmark bar now 🙂
Marisa says
I can ship 😉 Wish I could bake one up for your future birthday. Thanks for the sweet comment, Jessie!
Kate says
I have two cans of Trader Joe’s coconut cream in my pantry. How can I use this for the frosting? 🙂
Marisa says
Hi Kate! You can absolutely skip straight to the coconut cream! Those cans from Trader Joe’s are awesome. I would use about half of 1 can for these cakes. Let me know how it turns out!
Saxykat says
There seems to be way too much baking powder or soda… It’s all I taste. What a shame to waste all these ingredients.
Marisa says
Hi there – Sorry to hear this recipe didn’t turn out for you! Be sure to check the expiration dates on your baking powder and baking soda. I also find that I am very sensitive to baking powder’s bitter taste, so I always purchase the aluminum-free version. if you’re noticing this flavor with other baking, that might be the culprit.