Carrot Cupcakes

Carrot cake lovers, rejoice! These carrot cake cupcakes are the perfect blend of warm spices, tender cake, and tangy cream cheese frosting. Whether you’re whipping these up for a birthday, an afternoon treat, or just because you love desserts, they’re bound to become a favorite.

Best Carrot Cupcakes Recipe

What makes this the best carrot cupcake recipe? It’s all about balance and a moist crumb. The batter is infused with a medley of warming spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger, creating a flavorful base that pairs perfectly with freshly grated carrots. The cream cheese frosting is velvety smooth, adding just the right amount of tangy sweetness to complement the cake. With customizable add-ins like toasted nuts, raisins, or even shredded coconut, this recipe is versatile and irresistible. Whether you’re an experienced baker or just starting out, these cupcakes are foolproof and guaranteed to impress.

The full list of ingredients, total time, and step by step instructions can be found at the bottom of this post!

Instructions for Carrot Cupcakes

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon salt, teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, and 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, add the ½ cup granulated sugar, ½ cup brown sugar, eggs, oil, and vanilla extract until smooth and well-combined. You can use any neutral oil like vegetable oil, canola oil, or coconut oil. Gradually incorporate the flour mixture into the wet ingredients, mixing gently until just combined. Be careful not to overmix. Fold in the grated carrots and any optional add-ins such as nuts or raisins.

Divide the batter evenly into the prepared muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds full with a spoon. Or you can use a measuring cup to evenly measure! Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Cream Cheese Frosting

To prepare the frosting, use an electric mixer to beat the softened butter and 8 ounces of cream cheese until the mixture is creamy and smooth. Add the powdered sugar, teaspoon vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt, then beat until the frosting becomes light and fluffy. If the frosting is too soft to pipe, refrigerate it for 10-15 minutes to firm up slightly.

Once the cupcakes are completely cool, decorate them with the prepared frosting. Place them on a baking sheet to prevent mess! Use a piping bag fitted with your favorite tip to create a classic swirl on top. For an extra decorative touch, roll the frosted sides in chopped nuts if desired. To add a fun carrot motif, tint portions of the frosting orange and green, then pipe small carrot shapes on top using round and leaf piping tips.

Tips & Tricks

• Toast the Nuts: Toasting adds depth and crunch. Bake them at 350°F for 5-7 minutes, or until fragrant.
• Grate Fresh Carrots: Freshly grated carrots ensure the cupcakes stay moist and flavorful.
• Don’t Overmix: Mix the batter until just combined to avoid dense cupcakes. Also don’t add too much flour!
• Chill the Frosting: Soft frosting? Pop it in the fridge for 10 minutes.
• Customization: Swap raisins and nuts for shredded coconut or crushed pineapple (well-drained).
• Enhanced Moisture: Replace 1/4 cup of oil with unsweetened applesauce for a healthier option.
• Make-Ahead: Bake the cupcakes a day in advance and frost the next day for a deeper flavor.

Carrot Cupcake Variations

• Coconut Carrot Cupcakes: Add 1/2 cup of shredded coconut to the batter for a tropical twist.
• Pineapple Carrot Cupcakes: Mix in 1/4 cup of crushed, well-drained pineapple to enhance the natural sweetness and moisture.
• Spiced Carrot Cupcakes: Add a pinch of ground cloves or cardamom for an extra layer of warm spice.
• Nutty Delight: Use chopped pecans or almonds instead of walnuts for a different nutty crunch.
• Raisin-Free Option: Skip the raisins and replace them with chopped dried apricots or cranberries for a tart-sweet flavor.
• Maple Frosting: Swap out vanilla extract in the frosting for a teaspoon of maple syrup for a rich, caramel-like flavor.

Storage Tips

Store frosted cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Bring them to room temperature before serving for optimal texture and taste. Freeze unfrosted cupcakes for up to 2 months in the freezer. Thaw at room temperature, then frost and enjoy.

If you like this recipe, you’ll love these ones:

Carrot Cake: A classic favorite. Moist layers of carrot cake layered with a cream cheese icing! Perfection.

Carrot Cake Cheesecake: Swirls of fluffy carrot cake and creamy cheesecake get baked together to form this stunning treat. The cheesecake is topped with Cream Cheese Frosting and Caramelized Pecans.

Carrot Cake Donuts: These donuts are baked, only require one bowl for the batter, and one bowl for the glaze.

Carrot Cake Macarons: They are filled with Carrot Cake, and with Cream Cheese Frosting, and are topped with a lovely cute carrot made out of royal icing!

Brazilian Carrot Cake Cupcakes: In Brazil, this is how we do carrot cake: carrot cake filled or topped (or both) with brigadeiro. Our carrot cake itself is different than the traditional American carrot cake as we puree the carrots instead of grating them!

These carrot cake cupcakes are as fun to make as they are to eat. Share them with loved ones or enjoy one with a cup of tea for the perfect indulgent treat! Also if you decide to make them, share photos with me on Instagram!

Carrot Cupcakes

Camila Hurst

These moist and flavorful carrot cake cupcakes are packed with warm spices, topped with tangy cream cheese frosting, and perfect for any occasion.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Cool Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 12 cupcakes

Calories 477 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

Cupcakes

• 1¼ cups all-purpose flour 160g
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
• ¼ tsp ground ginger
• ½ cup granulated sugar 100g
• ½ cup light brown sugar packed (110g)
• 2 large eggs room temperature
• ½ cup vegetable oil or melted coconut oil (120ml)
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1½ cups grated carrots 2-3 medium carrots (180g)
• ¼ cup chopped walnuts or pecans optional (30g)
• ¼ cup raisins optional (40g)

Cream Cheese Frosting

• ½ cup unsalted butter softened (113g)
• 1 cup cream cheese softened (226g)
• 2 cups powdered sugar sifted (250 grams)
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• pinch of salt

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, oil, and vanilla extract until well combined.
• Pour the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, whisking, or using an electric mixer on low speed to stir just combined (do not over mix). Fold in the grated carrots, nuts, and raisins if using.

Bake

• Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake liners, filling each about 2/3 full. Bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Cream Cheese Frosting

• In a large bowl, beat the butter and cream cheese together until smooth and creamy. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and salt, and beat until fluffy and well combined.

To decorate

• To make the carrots on top of the cupcakes, take about 1 cup of frosting and use gel good coloring to dye about 3/4 of it orange, and the remaining 1/4 cup green. Fit a piping bag with a #10 round tip for the orange frosting and another bag with a small leaf tip for the green frosting.
• Place the remaining plain frosting in a piping bag fitted with the tip of choice. I used a 4B.
• Frost the cupcakes with the plain white frosting, then coat the sides in nuts. Then pipe the carrot body on top by holding the orange piping bag at a 45-degree angle and creating a teardrop or triangle shape, starting wide and tapering to a point.
• Pipe the leaf on top of the carrot.

Serve and Enjoy

• Store any leftover cupcakes in the refrigerator in an air tight container for up to 5 days.
• The cupcakes can be frozen for up to 2 months.

Notes

Toast the Nuts (if using): Toasting the walnuts or pecans before adding them to the batter enhances their flavor and adds a lovely crunch to the cupcakes.

Grate the Carrots Fresh: Freshly grated carrots retain their moisture better than pre-shredded ones, resulting in moist cupcakes.

Avoid Over Baking: Keep a close eye on the cupcakes in the last few minutes of baking, as over baking can dry them out.

Chill the Frosting: If your cream cheese frosting is too soft to pipe, refrigerate it for 10-15 minutes before decorating the cupcakes.

Customize the Add-Ins: Instead of nuts and raisins, you can use instead shredded coconut, crushed pineapple (well-drained), or leave them out entirely.

Enhance Moisture with Applesauce: Substitute 1/4 cup of the oil with unsweetened applesauce for a lighter, slightly healthier cupcake.

Let the Flavors Develop: If time allows, bake the cupcakes a day in advance and frost them the next day. The flavors of the spices and carrots meld beautifully overnight.

Storage Tip: If storing frosted cupcakes in the fridge, bring them to room temperature before serving for the best flavor and texture.

Make Mini Cupcakes: This recipe can also be used to make mini cupcakes—just adjust the baking time to 12-15 minutes.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 cupcakeCalories: 477kcal

Keyword carrot cupcakes

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!