Carrot Cake Cupcakes
These Carrot Cake Cupcakes are moist, perfectly spiced cupcakes with brown sugar cream cheese frosting. They are as yummy as carrot cake but easier and faster to make and perfect for sharing!
Servings: 12 cupcakes
Calories: 295kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
Carrot Cake Cupcakes
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ¾ teaspoons cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ cup oil vegetable or canola
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ⅔ cup brown sugar light or dark, packed
- 1 ½ eggs for the half egg, whisk it in a small bowl and add half of it along with the other egg to the batter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅔ cup pumpkin puree use canned pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling
- ¼ cup buttermilk room temperature
- 1 cup shredded carrots about 2 medium carrots, shred on small holes of a box grater or use a food processor
- ½ red apple peeled and grated, juice drained
Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting
- 4 ounces cream cheese full fat, brick style, room temperature (leave it at room temperature for at least an hour before making)
- 3 tablespoons butter room temperature
- ⅓ cup brown sugar light or dark, packed
- 1 ¼ cups powdered sugar sifted, plus more if needed
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Instructions
Carrot Cake Cupcakes
- Line cupcake pan with liners. Preheat oven to 350 F.
- In large mixing bowl, whisk to combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk to combine the sugars and eggs. Stir in the vanilla and pumpkin puree followed by the oil. Add the buttermilk alternatively with the dry ingredients, mixing just til combined. Stir in carrots and apple.
- Divide the batter evenly into the cupcake pan. Bake 20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean or just with a few crumbs attached when inserted into the center of a cupcake. Cool ten minutes in the cupcake pan then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. Once the cupcakes have cooled, frost them with the frosting.
Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting
- In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the cream cheese and butter on medium speed for one minute until creamed and combined. Add the brown sugar and mix on medium for another minute. Mix in the vanilla extract and salt then turn the mixer on low and gradually mix in the powdered sugar. Add extra powdered sugar if you want the frosting a little thicker.
- Frost the cooled cupcakes as you like. I used an Ateco 808 open piping tip for the pictures, but also like these cupcakes with frosting simply spread with an offset spatula.
Notes
Carrots: Make sure to grate your whole, peeled carrots at home. Use a food processor or the small holes of a box grater. I don’t recommend using store bought shredded carrots.
Apple: Instead of half an apple, use unsweetened applesauce.
Pumpkin puree: Use canned pure pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling. The cans look similar, but they are different. I recommend using store bought canned pumpkin puree for consistency.
Cupcake batter: Fill cupcakes 2/3 full. Do not fill cupcake batter all the way to the top. You'll end up with a little extra batter leftover. Just discard the extra batter.
Cream cheese: Use full fat block-style cream cheese. To get creamy frosting, make sure to use room temperature cream cheese. Leave it at room temperature for at least an hour before making the frosting.
Frosting: Use fresh brown sugar. Brown sugar can get hard lumps if it’s not fresh. Fresh brown sugar will dissolve better for smooth frosting. Sift powdered sugar to remove any lumps.
Decorating: Pipe the frosting or simply spread it with a knife. Top with chopped nuts if you like.
Storage: Store this cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cupcake | Calories: 295kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 38mg | Sodium: 255mg | Potassium: 123mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 36g | Vitamin A: 3628IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 60mg | Iron: 1mg