Carrot Cake Cupcakes

5 from 6 votes

Classic carrot cake in cupcake form — moist crumb, chopped pecans, and a cream cheese frosting tested specifically to pipe up tall and hold its shape. No boxed mix, no applesauce, no crushed pineapple. Just a kitchen-tested, from-scratch recipe your whole family will love.

Prep Time15

Cook Time23

Total Time38

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Carrot Cake Cupcakes Recipe

Servings:

Calories: 395kcal

Author: Stephanie Keeping

Ingredients

For The Carrot Cake Cupcake Base

1 cup flour all purpose
1 cup sugar granulated
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup vegetable oil canola or avocado oils also work
2 eggs large, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1½ cups shredded carrots must be fresh, and hand shredded
½ cup pecans chopped finely, walnuts also work

For the Cream Cheese Frosting

8 ounces cream cheese full fat, at room temperature
½ cup unsalted butter full fat, at room temperature
¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt
3-3 ½ cups sifted powdered sugar start with 3 cups, add the additional as needed for desired consistency
2 tablespoons heavy cream

For the Optional Carrot Decoration

¾ cup reserved cream cheese frosting divided (½ cup + ¼ cup)
2 drops orange food coloring use gel
1 drop drop green food coloring use gel

Instructions

For the Carrot Cupcake Base

Set your oven to 350°F and prepare a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
Thoroughly combine the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
Pour in the vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract. Beat with a hand mixer on medium speed until the batter is completely smooth and lump-free.
Use a spatula to gently stir in the grated carrots and chopped pecans.
Divide the batter evenly among the liners, filling them exactly ¾ of the way to the top. Bake for about 20-23 minutes; a toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean.
Let the cupcakes rest in the tin for 10 minutes, then move them to a cooling rack to cool entirely before decorating.

For the Cream Cheese Frosting

Whip the softened butter and cream cheese together on medium-high speed for 2 to 3 minutes until completely smooth.
Briefly blend in the vanilla extract and salt.
Turn the mixer down to low and slowly mix in 3 cups of powdered sugar, adding it one cup at a time.
Pour in the heavy cream. Beat for 1 to 2 minutes, increasing the speed to medium-high, until fluffy and sturdy. (Note: If the mixture feels too loose to pipe, beat in the final ½ cup of powdered sugar).
For a Bakery Swirl: Spoon the frosting into a large piping bag fitted with a decorative tip and pipe tall swirls onto the cooled cakes.
For the Flat Carrot Design: Set aside ¾ cup of the frosting in separate bowls. Pipe the rest of the frosting onto each cupcake so the tops are perfectly flat.

For the Optional Carrot Decoration

Take your reserved ¾ cup of frosting and split it: place ½ cup into one bowl and the remaining ¼ cup into another.
Stir 2 drops of orange gel food coloring into the ½ cup portion until the color is even. Stir 1 drop of green gel food coloring into the ¼ cup portion.
Place both colored frostings into their own small piping bags (or zip-top bags with a tiny corner snipped off).
Draw an upside-down orange triangle using a zig-zag motion in the center of the flat-frosted cupcake. Pipe small green leaves at the top.

Notes

Frosting Troubleshooting: If your cream cheese was too soft or your kitchen runs warm, your frosting may feel a bit loose. Simply stick your filled piping bag in the refrigerator for 15 to 20 minutes to firm it up before piping.
Substitutions: If desired, you can substitute the finely chopped pecans with finely chopped walnuts. You can also swap the vegetable oil for an equal amount of canola oil, avocado oil, or any neutral baking oil.
Storage: Leftover frosted cupcakes can be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days

Nutrition