Carrot Cupcakes

These Carrot Cupcakes have gotten a lot of rave reviews. The cake is soft and moist, slightly spiced, with a little bit of crunch from the walnuts, and the tangy cream cheese frosting is a must. 

Spiced carrot cupcakes with cream cheese frosting is a classic combination and a tricky way to sneak vegetables into your dessert. Plus the shredded carrot really helps keep these cupcakes super moist and delicious for days. For a tropical twist, swap out the cream cheese frosting with this vibrant pineapple frosting.

Why this recipe works

• This carrot cupcakes recipe is easy enough to make with your young bakers at home.
• It is perfect for Easter, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day or as a fun weekend project. 
• It can also be made into a two-layer 6-inch mini carrot cake!
• The added carrot helps these cupcakes stay moist for days.

If you’re looking for a full size carrot cake, check out my favorite carrot cake recipe.

Ingredients and substitutions

As always, you’ll find the complete list of ingredients and quantities in the recipe card at the end of this post. Below are some notes and substitution tips:

1. Flour – I use all purpose flour. If you want to make this gluten free, try Bob’s Red Mill or King Arthur gluten free flour. Readers have successfully substituted gluten free flour in some other recipes. However, I have not tried it with this particular recipe.

2. Leavening agents – I use both baking soda and baking powder. The baking soda will be activated by the acidity in the buttermilk and brown sugar. And the baking powder will give it additional lift in the hot oven.

3. Salt – I always use kosher salt in all my recipes. If using table salt, use about half to two thirds as much.

4. Spices – I use just a little bit of cinnamon and nutmeg in this recipe for a very lightly spiced cake. If you want the flavor to be stronger, you can adjust the amount of spices to your taste. Other spices you may see in carrot cake include ginger, cardamom, allspice and cloves. I think ginger will play well with cinnamon and nutmeg. While I love cardamom, I think cardamom and clove would be too strong for this cake.

5. Buttermilk – I used reduced fat buttermilk. You can use any type of buttermilk you can find at the grocery store. Or make your own buttermilk by adding lemon juice, yogurt, or sour cream to regular milk. I have a reader who made these with straight yogurt and it turned out just as delicious.

6. Oil – Butter adds flavor to cakes but oil makes them ultra moist. Since we want the flavor of the spices to shine, use a flavorless oil like vegetable or canola in this recipe. You can use olive oil if you want, though olive oil may impart some flavor to your cupcakes.

7. Sugar – Brown sugar will add flavor depth, richness and additional moisture to these cupcakes. You can use either light or dark brown sugar, but if you don’t have brown sugar, you can substitute granulated sugar. 

8. Egg – Just 1 egg is used to bind everything together.

9. Vanilla – pure vanilla extract is used to enhance the flavor of the cupcakes and also to flavor the cream cheese frosting. Be sure to stay away from artificial vanilla flavoring.

10. Carrot – it’s not carrot cake without grated carrots. So for obvious reasons, there is no substitution for carrots. You can shred your carrots using a food processor or a box grater. 

11. Walnuts – I added walnuts for textural contrast. Pecans will work here too.

12. Cream cheese – this is used in the cream cheese frosting. I would use full fat cream cheese for a richer frosting, don’t use light cream cheese.

13. Butter – unsalted butter is also used in the cream cheese frosting. Make sure not to use salted butter or you’ll end up with super salty frosting.

14. Powdered sugar – this is used to sweeten the cream cheese frosting. I don’t usually use a lot because I like my frosting less sweet. You can increase the amount of sugar called for if you like a bit sweeter frosting.

Tools you’ll need

You can make the cake batter entirely by hand, but there are a couple of special tools you’ll need. 

• A food processor or a box grater to grate the carrots.
• A standard size muffin pan to bake the cupcakes in.
• A stand mixer or an electric mixer to make the frosting.
• A kitchen scale is recommended to measure the ingredients.

How to Make Carrot Cake Cupcakes

The following instructions, step-by-step photos, and tips are here to help you visualize how to make the recipe. You can always skip straight to the printable recipe card at the end of this post.

Make the carrot cake batter

First, prepare the wet ingredients by beating together buttermilk, oil, egg, and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl. Whisk in brown sugar until it dissolves completely. And then mix in the shredded carrot until evenly distributed. 

Next, sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, spices and salt. Add the flour mixture to the liquid mixture and fold until incorporated. Fold in the chopped toasted walnuts.

Tip: Toasting the walnuts before adding it to the batter is highly recommended to bring out their flavor. It only takes a few extra minutes. Once you do it, you’ll never go back to using untoasted nuts.

Divide batter among 12 cupcake cavities using a large ice cream scoop. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Make the frosting

Beat softened butter and cream cheese together until creamy. Add vanilla extract and beat to combine. Stir in powdered sugar and slowly increase the mixer speed and beat until the frosting is fluffy.

Nothing completes carrot cupcakes better than a creamy and tangy cream cheese frosting. I wouldn’t dare put any other frosting on it. Pipe it on, smear it on, however you do it, it’s gonna be delicious. Finish it with a few sprinkles of chopped walnut over the frosting.

If you want more tips on how to make the cream cheese frosting, check out my post for the cream cheese frosting recipe.

More baker’s tips 

• I like to use a food processor to chop up the carrots, but help it out by cutting the carrots into smaller pieces first. If you don’t have a food processor, a box grater works just fine.
• I used 2 medium carrots in this recipe. They were about 8 oz total before peeling and shredding. It helps to have a kitchen scale to get precise measurement for the carrots or you can just weigh them at the store.
• I did not pack the shredded carrot when measuring them for this recipe. However, the best way to ensure you use just enough carrots is to weigh them. Be careful not to over-pack the carrots because too much can make your cake too wet.
• This recipe will make 24 mini carrot cake cupcakes. Reduce baking time to 13-15 minutes.
• You can use a pastry bag with a piping tip to frost the cupcakes if you wish. Spreading the frosting with a spatula is much faster and easier though.

FAQs

Storage

Room temperature: if you are planning to serve them the same day, you can leave them out on the countertop for the day if it is a cool day.

Refrigerator: Frosted cupcakes should be stored in the refrigerator since the cream cheese frosting is made with dairy products, and they will last up to a week.

Freezer: These carrot cupcakes freeze very well and will last for up to three months. You can store them in an airtight container, or place them on a tray and freeze until the frosting hardens, then wrap them well and store in a freezer bag. Thaw in the fridge overnight or on the counter for a couple of hours before serving.

More cupcakes perfect for Easter

• Chocolate Coconut Cupcakes
• Lemon Cupcakes
• Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes
• Banana Split Cupcakes
• Pina Colada Cupcakes

4.93 from 14 votes

Carrot Cupcakes

By Trang

These Carrot Cupcakes have gotten a lot of rave reviews. The cake is soft and moist, slightly spiced, with a little bit of crunch from the walnuts, and the cream cheese frosting is a must.

Servings: 12 cupcakes

Prep Time: 30 minutes mins

Cook Time: 19 minutes mins

Total Time: 49 minutes mins

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Equipment

• Standard Size Muffin Pan
• Stand Mixer
• Large Cookie Scoop

Ingredients 

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Carrot Cake

• ▢ 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, 162 g
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• ▢ ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ▢ ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ▢ ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
• ▢ ¾ cup buttermilk, 180 g
• ▢ ½ cup vegetable oil, 107 g
• ▢ 1 large egg
• ▢ ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ▢ ¾ cup light brown sugar, lightly packed, 144 g
• ▢ 1 ¼ cup shredded carrot, 170 g
• ▢ ¼ cup chopped walnuts, toasted, 30 g
• ▢ More walnuts for topping if desired
• ▢ Melted butter for cake pans if needed

Cream Cheese Frosting

• ▢ 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature, 227 g
• ▢ 4 oz unsalted butter, room temperature, 113 g
• ▢ 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ▢ ¾ cup powdered sugar, 75 g

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Instructions 

• Make the cake batter: Start by toasting the walnuts in a frying pan over medium heat for 3 – 5 minutes until fragrant. Let it cool and chop into smaller pieces.
• Scrub the carrots clean, trim the end and peel the skin off. Cut them into smaller pieces and shred them in a food processor or shred them with a box grater. This should yield 1 ¼ cups.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Line a regular size muffin pan with cupcake liners and set aside.
• Add buttermilk, oil, egg and vanilla extract to a large mixing bowl and beat until smooth. Add brown sugar and mix until the sugar is completely dissolved. Add shredded carrot and mix until evenly distributed.
• Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg into a medium mixing bowl. Add the salt and mix thoroughly with a whisk. Add the flour mixture to the liquid mixture and fold until incorporated. Fold in the chopped walnuts.
• Divide batter evenly among twelve cupcake cavities using a large ice cream scoop and bake for 17 – 19 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean with just a few crumbs attached.
• Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack for 10 – 15 minutes. Remove cupcakes from the pan, and allow to cool completely on a wire rack.
• Make the cream cheese frosting: In a large mixing bowl or a stand mixer bowl, cream butter and cream cheese together until thoroughly mixed and creamy.
• Add vanilla extract and beat to combine.
• Add powdered sugar and stir until incorporated, gradually increase the mixer speed and beat until fluffy.
• Add a scoop of frosting on each cupcake and spread it with an offset spatula or butter knife. Add chopped walnuts on top if desired. Serve right away or refrigerate until ready to serve.

Notes

• Vegetable oil, canola oil or olive oil will work in this recipe.
• If you don’t have buttermilk, use regular milk, sour cream, yogurt or make homemade buttermilk by mixing regular milk with lemon juice or sour cream/yogurt.
• 2 medium carrots, about 8 oz total in weight, will yield enough shredded carrot for this recipe.
• This recipe will also make 24 mini cupcakes. Reduce baking time to 13-15 minutes.

Nutrition

Serving: 105g, Calories: 374kcal

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

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