Carrot Cake Cupcakes are everything you love about carrot cake in cupcake form, with the best cream cheese frosting to top it off.
If you love carrot cake, you will love this simple cupcake recipe. They have the perfect spice flavor, and they are moist and delicious. This is a great recipe for a beginning baker.
How to Make Carrot Cake Cupcakes
Here is a brief overview of how this carrot cake cupcake recipe comes together. For the full recipe, including all ingredients and their measurements, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Whisk Together the Dry Ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, and salt.
Mix the Wet Ingredients
In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugars, oil, apple sauce, and carrots until smooth.
Combine the Wet and Dry Ingredients
Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredient mixture and stir together until just combined.
Bake the Cupcakes
Fill the cupcake liners 3/4 full with the prepared cupcake batter. Then bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of a cupcake comes out with just a few crumbs.
Make the Frosting
Cream together the cream cheese and the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix in the powdered sugar one cup at a time, then mix in the vanilla extract.
Frost the Cupcakes
If you plan on piping the design you see below, double the frosting recipe. If you plan on just spreading some on top, the amount called for is plenty. To pipe, use a piping set and add a small amount of frosting to the center of the cupcake. Then working from the outside in, pipe the frosting. Top with chopped pecans or walnuts if desired. Enjoy!
Tips and Tricks
- Measuring flour: If you are going to measure flour for cupcakes without a kitchen scale, be sure to scoop the flour from the container with a spoon into a dry measuring cup and then level it off. You can see a full tutorial of that here: How to Measure Flour.
- Use active baking soda and baking powder: A crucial part of any baking recipe is using active ingredients. After about six months, both baking powder and baking soda lose their reactivity and need to be replaced. Check the freshness of your baking soda by mixing a little with vinegar; it should bubble up right away. You can check your baking powder by mixing it with a little water. If they don’t bubble up, replace them.
- Grating carrots for carrot cake: Use the grate setting on your food processor or a box grater to shred your carrots. Wash and peel your carrots before grating them. I do not recommend using pre-shredded carrots for this carrot cupcake recipe, as they tend to be tough and dry.
- Use room-temperature cream cheese and butter: When making the cream cheese frosting, it is important to have soft butter and cream cheese to get the fluffy and creamy frosting we all love. I do not recommend softening in the microwave.
- Double the frosting. If you would like to pipe the frosting on as you see pictured, double it.
Storing Cupcakes and Frosting
Since the frosting has cream cheese, it should be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. The cupcakes can be kept at room temperature for up to three days if they are unfrosted. If frosted, they should be kept in the refrigerator.
If you make this Carrot Cake Cupcake recipe or any of my other recipes, I’d love to hear how you enjoyed it!
Carrot Cake Cupcakes
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour (300 grams)
- 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder (6 grams)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda (6 grams)
- 1 1/4 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon cloves
- 1/8 teaspoon ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (3 grams)
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar (297 grams)
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar (106.5 grams)
- 1 cup vegetable oil (198 grams)
- 1/2 cup applesauce (127.5 grams)
- 1 pound carrots grated fine (453.592 grams)
Cream Cheese Frosting (see note)
- 8 ounces cream cheese room temperature, see note (227 grams)
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature (56.5 grams)
- 2 cups powdered sugar (226 grams)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (9.3 grams)
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans optional (57 grams)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a muffin tray with parchment paper cupcake liners.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, and salt.2 1/2 cups all purpose flour, 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 1/4 teaspoons cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/8 teaspoon cloves, 1/8 teaspoon ginger, 1/2 teaspoon salt
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugars, oil, apple sauce, and carrots until smooth. Pour into the dry ingredient mixture and stir together until just combined.4 large eggs, 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar, 1 cup vegetable oil, 1/2 cup applesauce, 1 pound carrots
- Fill the cupcake liners 3/4 full with the prepared batter. Then bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of a cupcake comes out with just a few crumbs. I also recommend rotating the pan once in the middle of the bake time.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- While the cupcakes are cooling, cream together the cream cheese and the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix in the powdered sugar one cup at a time. Then mix in the vanilla extract.8 ounces cream cheese, 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, 2 cups powdered sugar, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- When the cupcakes are cool to the touch, spread the frosting over the top. Then top with pecan pieces. Please note that if you would like to pipe on the frosting as seen here, you will need to double the amount of frosting you make.1/2 cup chopped pecans
Notes
Elaine says
Could I make this a sheet cake instead of cupcakes? Like a 13×9 pan
Yup! This is based off my Carrot Cake Recipe. So just follow those instructions.
Paul says
Great recipe. A keeper!!
I’m so glad you liked it, Paul!