Mini Carrot Cake

It's my beloved's birthday, and the only kind of cake he really enjoys is carrot cake.

• Unsalted butter, at room temperature, for greasing the cans
• 3/4 C + 2 Tbsp sifted all-purpose flour, plus more for flouring the cans
• 1/4 C + 2 Tbsp buttermilk
• 1/4 C vegetable oil
• yolk of 1 large egg
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 C sugar
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 C grated carrots
• 2 Tbsp raisins
• 2 Tbsp chopped pecans or walnuts
• 2 Tbsp sweetened flaked coconut
• 2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh or canned pineapple, well drained (optional)
• Cream Cheese Frosting

1. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Grease the insides of the cans and lightly dust them with flour, tapping out the excess. Place the cans on a baking sheet for easier handling, and set aside.
3. Place the buttermilk, oil, egg yolk, and vanilla in a small bowl and stir to mix.
4. Place the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a medium-size mixing bowl and whisk to blend well. Add the buttermilk mixture and whisk just until the dry ingredients are moistened. Fold in the carrots, raisins, nuts, coconut, and pineapple if using.
5. Spoon the batter into the prepared cans, dividing it evenly between them. Bake the cakes until a toothpick inserted in the center of one comes out clean, 37 to 39 minutes.
6. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and transfer the cans to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes. Then run a thin, sharp knife around the edge of each can, and invert the cans to release the cakes. Turn the cakes upright and let them cool on the rack. (The cakes can be wrapped individually in plastic wrap and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days)
7. To frost cakes, cut each in half horizontally. Spread a layer of the Cream Cheese Frosting about 1/4 inch thick on the cut side of one cake half, then stack the other half on top of it. Frost the top and sides of the cake. Repeat with the remaining cake and frosting. (Frosted cakes can be stored loosely but well covered with plastic wrap, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days)

Robyn's notes: I can't eat many of the ingredients in carrot cake, so instead of making two mini cakes in recycled cans, I made one mini cake in a 4 inch springform pan. This left a little leftover batter, but not too much. I did not use the pineapple, and I chose walnuts over pecans. The cake, possibly because of the difference in pan, had to cook for 46 minutes. The picture below is prior to frosting the cake. I (obviously) did not frost according to the instructions given, because he's not a big fan of frosting. I just cut the rounded top off and frosted the top in a single layer, then added the frosting carrot.

**** 4 Stars: Very Good. Enjoyed by us both, I will make this frequently