These carrot cake cupcakes with cream cheese frosting are incredibly moist with the perfect carrot cake flavor thanks to warm spices, vanilla and grated carrots. The cream cheese frosting is thick, creamy and tangy. They’re perfect for Easter or spring, and so adorable with carrot toppers.
These carrot cake cupcakes have everything you love about carrot cake in cupcake form. They’re incredibly moist with a soft and tender cupcake crumb, warm spices, velvety smooth cream cheese frosting. They’re the best carrot cake cupcakes I’ve ever tried – and they look absolutely adorable for Easter and spring.
The incredibly moist texture comes from using oil, sour cream, milk and grated carrots. Because these carrot cake cupcakes are so flavorful, you won’t taste the oil whatsoever. It helps the cupcakes stay moist for longer compared to using butter. I love the combination of using sour cream and milk because the sour cream keeps the cupcakes extra moist and the milk ensures that they aren’t too heavy and dense.
Making Carrot Cake Cupcakes
I’m including a rundown of the recipe with step-by-step photos and recipe tips. I highly recommend reading through the details below before going straight to the recipe card to help ensure success.
- Start by preheating the oven to 350F (180C) and lining a 12-cavity muffin pan with muffin papers. This recipe requires muffin papers – if you simply grease and flour the pan your cupcakes will get stuck. This is because cupcake batter is much thinner and more delicate than muffin batter
- Then in a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, cinnamon, ground ginger, ground nutmeg, baking soda and salt. Some carrot cake recipes just use cinnamon – but I find that the combination of spices really provides a better flavor.
- Then in a separate bowl you’ll whisk together the wet ingredients and sugars: vegetable oil (or canola), brown sugar, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, eggs, sour cream and milk. Sour cream can be substituted for plain Greek yogurt if that’s all you have on hand. Using brown sugar adds so much flavor to your carrot cake. It’s important that the eggs, sour cream and milk are all at room temperature before whisking everything together. When you’re done this step, you should no longer see pieces of egg or lumps of sugar.
- Whisk the grated carrot into the wet ingredients. I use finely grated carrot in my carrot cake cupcakes. This ensures that the carrot dissolves as the cupcakes bake so that you don’t end up with pieces of carrot in your cupcakes.
- Then you’ll make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and pour the wet ingredient into the well. Gently stir the batter together until you no longer see lumps or streaks of dry ingredients. I find that doing this by hand with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon works best because it ensures that you don’t overmix the batter.
- If you’re choosing to add in any mix-ins – such as chopped walnuts or coconut, this is the point where you’ll gently fold them into the batter.
- Then spoon the cupcake batter into your prepared muffin tin and pop in the oven to bake. Each cupcake liner should be about â…” to ¾ full. You don’t want to fill the cupcakes to the very top – otherwise they will overflow and sink in the middle.
- The cupcakes will bake for about 20 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean or with a few damp cupcake crumbs.
Pro Tip:Â This recipe is developed using finely grated carrots. Finely grated carrots will release more moisture as the cupcakes bake. Do not use a bag of pre-shredded carrots that’s purchased form your grocery story. These carrots are too large and will not release enough moisture and dissolve while baking. You will end up with dry cupcakes filled with carrot pieces.
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
It’s not carrot cake without cream cheese frosting. This recipe makes enough frosting to pipe each cupcake with a thick layer of frosting. Whenever making cream cheese frosting, make sure that:
- The butter is softened, but not starting to melt or become slimy. It should still be slightly firm to the touch.
- You’re using full-fat, brick style cream cheese. Anything else – such as lite, low fat, spreadable or anything that comes in a tub – is too thin and your frosting will be thin.
- Make sure to sift your powdered sugar first. I know this step is annoying – but it’s important. If you try to remove lumps of sugar by beating your frosting more, you will actually overmix the frosting and it will become thin and separate.
Note: If you plan to frost your cupcakes with a thin layer of frosting, then feel free to divide the frosting recipe in half.
I then sprinkled some chopped walnuts on top of each cupcake and added a carrot decoration – but that’s totally up to you.Â
These carrot cake cupcakes with cream cheese frosting have the most delicious carrot cake flavor and the perfect tangy frosting. Perfect for Easter, or whenever you’re craving carrot cake.
And if you love these carrot cake cupcakes, then I highly recommend trying:
- Carrot Cake Muffins
- Mini Carrot Cake – this 6-inch cake serves just 4-6 people
- Carrot Cake Layer Cake
Carrot Cake Cupcakes
Equipment
- 12-cavity muffin pan
Ingredients
Carrot Cake Cupcakes
- 1 â…“ cup all-purpose flour (167 grams)
- 1 ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- â…› teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- â…“ cup vegetable oil (80 ml) or canola oil
- ½ cup brown sugar (105 grams) packed
- ½ cup granulated sugar (100 grams)
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup sour cream (60 ml)
- ¼ cup milk (60 ml) 2% or whole is best, 1% is OK
- 1 ¼ cup finely grated carrot
- ½ cup chopped walnuts optional
- 2 tablespoons coconut optional
Cream Cheese Frosting
- ¾ cup unsalted butter (170 grams) slightly softened
- 8 ounces full-fat cream cheese (226 grams) brick style
- 3-4 cups powdered sugar (330-440 grams) sifted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream if needed
- chopped walnuts optional, for decorating
- carrot decorations optional, for decorating
Instructions
Carrot Cake Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350F (180C). Line a 12-cavity muffin pan with muffin papers.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, baking soda and salt.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the oil, brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs, vanilla, sour cream and milk until you no longer see lumps of sugar and the mixture is an even consistency.
- Whisk the grated carrot into the wet ingredients.
- Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and pour the wet ingredients into the well. Gently stir together until you no longer see lumps or streaks of flour.
- Stir in the optional chopped walnuts and coconut - if using.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared cupcake pan, filling each about ⅔ to ¾ full.
- Bake in the middle of the preheated oven for about 18-21 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean or with a few moist cupcake crumbs.
- Cool the cupcakes in the pan for at least 10 minutes, then carefully transfer to a cooling rack to continue cooling.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- In a large bowl, beat the butter until smooth.
- Add in the cream cheese (chopped into cubes) and beat together until just combined.
- Add in 2 cups powdered sugar along with the vanilla and salt. Mix together, starting with the mixer on a low speed and gradually increasing until combined. Stop mixing as soon as the sugar is incorporated.
- Mix in the rest of the powdered sugar about ½ cup at a time, until the desired sweetness is reached. If needed, beat in 1 tablespoon of heavy cream (or whipping cream).
- Ensure the cupcakes are fully cooled before frosting. Frost with a flat edge knife or with a piping bag and tip. I used a piping bag and 1M tip. Optionally, sprinkle with chopped nuts and/or a carrot decorating.
Notes
- Room Temperature Ingredients:Â The eggs, sour cream and milk should all be room temperature before getting started.
- Carrots:Â Measure carrots after finely grating. You will need about 3 carrots. Do not use pre-shredded carrots that can be purchased in a bag from the grocery store. I find that shredding carrots in a food processor produces carrots pieces that are too large and don't dissolve. I use the fine side of a cheese grater.Â
- Frosting: This recipe makes enough for each cupcake to have a generous amount of frosting. If you prefer less frosting, feel free to half the frosting recipe.Â
- Make Ahead Tips: Cupcakes can be made the day before you plan to serve. Cool fully, then store overnight in an airtight container at room temperature. Make the frosting the day you plan to serve and frost the cupcakes.
- Storage:Â Store frosted cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 8 hours, or in the fridge for up to 4 days. Cupcakes are always best when fresh.Â
- Nutrition: Details provided are an estimate only and based on 1 cupcake, assuming the recipe yields 12 uniform cupcakes and all the frosting is used.Â
Nutrition
am C
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