Carrot Cake Cupcakes

Carrot Cake Cupcake Ingredients

Cupcakes

• All-purpose flour (1 ¼ cups) – Flour creates the soft crumb that holds in all the moisture.
• Baking soda (½+⅛ teaspoon) – Baking soda teams up with the other leaveners for a light texture.
• Baking powder (½+⅛ teaspoon) – Baking powder adds extra lift, ensuring the cupcakes bake up fluffy, not dense.
• Cinnamon (1 teaspoon) – Cinnamon is the classic carrot cake note everyone expects.
• Salt (¼ teaspoon) – Salt balances sweetness, sharpens the spice, and makes the flavors pop.
• Granulated sugar (1 cup) – Sugar helps create moisture and that delicate crumb.
• Eggs (2) – Eggs add richness and help the cupcakes set. For an egg-free version, use ½ cup applesauce.
• Canola oil (½ cup) – Canola oil keeps the crumb ultra moist. You can also use vegetable oil or baking olive oil.
• Sour cream (¼ cup) – Sour cream adds tang and tenderness, or use plain Greek yogurt.
• Vanilla extract (½ teaspoon) – Vanilla extract rounds out the spice and adds a cozy bakery aroma.
• Finely grated carrots (1½ cups) – Grated carrots add moisture, sweetness, and classic texture. Grate carrots using the fine side of a box grater. Do not use pre-packaged carrots as they are too dry.

Frosting

• Cream cheese, softened (8 ounces) – Cream cheese makes the frosting tangy and rich.
• Butter, softened (½ cup) – Butter helps it pipe and hold its shape. We used unsalted butter, but salted butter can be used.
• Brown sugar (⅔ cup) – Brown sugar deepens the frosting flavor. Light brown sugar or dark brown sugar can be used.
• Vanilla extract (2 teaspoons) – Vanilla extract warms the frosting flavor.
• Salt (dash) – Salt tempers sweetness in the frosting, salt keeps flavors from tasting flat. Omit if using salted butter.
• Powdered sugar (3 cups, more or less, if needed) – Powdered sugar sweetens and thickens to a pipeable consistency.

How to Make Carrot Cake Cupcakes

PREP. Preheat oven to 350°F and line a cupcake tin with paper liners.

BATTER. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a small bowl. Set aside.

• In a large bowl (or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment), beat sugar, eggs, and oil until thick and foamy, about 1-2 minutes. Add sour cream, vanilla, and finely grated carrots, and mix well.
• Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until just blended.

BAKE. Fill paper-liners about ⅔ full. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean or with a few crumbs. Cool completely on a wire rack.

FROSTING. In the bowl of a stand mixer or using a hand-held electric mixer, beat cream cheese, butter, and brown sugar until smooth. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes until the brown sugar dissolves completely.

• Use a rubber spatula to scrape the sides of the bowl, and add vanilla, salt, and enough powdered sugar to make a frosting thick enough to pipe.
• Use a large star tip for textured frosting or a large round tip to pipe on smooth frosting. If spreading the frosting instead of piping, cut the recipe in half and still have more than enough.

Kristyn’s Recipe Tips

• Grate carrots using the fine side of a box grater. Do not use pre-packaged carrots as they are too dry.
• Mix-ins. Add between ½ and 1 cup walnuts, pecans, and raisins to the batter.
• Topping – Top with chopped nuts or with adorable Carrot Chocolate Covered Strawberries.
• Mini cupcakes. Fill mini muffin liners halfway with batter (about 2 tablespoons). Bake at 350°F for 10-15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.

4.98 from 68 votes

Carrot Cake Cupcakes Recipe

By: Kristyn Merkley

Our carrot cake cupcakes are topped with a heavenly brown sugar cream cheese frosting, making them extra delicious and perfect for Spring.

Servings: 18

Prep: 15 minutes mins

Cook: 20 minutes mins

Total: 35 minutes mins

Video

Ingredients 

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Cupcakes

• ▢ 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
• ▢ ½+⅛ teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ ½+⅛ teaspoon baking powder
• ▢ 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1 cup sugar
• ▢ 2 eggs
• ▢ ½ cup canola oil
• ▢ ¼ cup sour cream
• ▢ ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ 1½ cups finely grated carrots

Frosting

• ▢ 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• ▢ ½ cup butter, softened
• ▢ ⅔ cup brown sugar
• ▢ 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ▢ dash salt
• ▢ 3 cups powdered sugar, more or less, if needed

Instructions 

Cupcakes

• Preheat oven to 350°F and line a cupcake tin with paper liners.
• Whisk flour, soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a small bowl. Set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, beat sugar, eggs, and oil till thick and foamy, about 1-2 minutes. Add the sour cream, vanilla, and carrots, and mix well.

  Add the dry ingredients and stir till just blended.
• Fill cupcake paper liners about ⅔ full. The cupcakes do not rise too much, and that is just fine. It's easier to frost them that way! Bake for 18-20 minutes. Cool completely.

Frosting

• Beat cream cheese, butter, and brown sugar until smooth. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes until the brown sugar dissolves completely.
• Add vanilla, salt, and enough powdered sugar to make a frosting thick enough to pipe. Use a large star tip to frost cupcakes.

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Notes

Recipe Tips.

• Grate carrots using the fine side of a box grater. Do not use pre-packaged carrots as they are too dry.
• Mix-ins. Add between ½ and 1 cup walnuts, pecans, and raisins to the batter.
• Topping – Top with chopped nuts or with adorable Carrot Chocolate Covered Strawberries.
• Mini cupcakes. Fill mini muffin liners halfway with batter (about 2 tablespoons). Bake at 350°F for 10-15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.

Frosting. This makes enough frosting to generously pipe frosting on the cupcakes. If you will be spreading it on, cut the recipe in half. The frosting can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 10-14 days or the freezer for 2 months.

Store unfrosted cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in a freezer bag in the freezer for 4-6 months. 

Store frosted. Due to the cream cheese frosted cupcakes need to be kept cold. Store covered in the fridge for 2-3 days or carefully freeze for 2-3 months.

Nutrition

Calories: 341kcal, Carbohydrates: 46g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 16g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Cholesterol: 47mg, Sodium: 130mg, Potassium: 48mg, Sugar: 39g, Vitamin A: 375IU, Calcium: 30mg, Iron: 0.6mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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