Carrot Cake Cupcakes

4.96 from 24 votes

Carrot Cake Cupcakes have been around for a long time but they are one of my favorite desserts. Filled with sweetness from the carrot themselves to pineapple and both white and brown sugar they are perfectly balanced with aromatic spices like cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and ginger.

Prep Time30

Cook Time20

Total Time50

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cake, carrot, carrot cake, cream cheese, cupcakes, pineapple, walnuts

Servings: cupcakes

Calories: 574kcal

Author: Tara Noland

Equipment

Ingredients

Cupcakes

3/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 2/3 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1 1/2 cups carrots finely grated
1/2 cup crushed pineapple drained
1 cup walnuts chopped

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 8 oz block of light cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract
4 cups powdered sugar
1-2 Tbsp. heavy cream
Walnuts chopped to garnish

Instructions

Line a 12 cup muffin pan with cupcake liners and set aside.
Preheat oven to 350F.
In a large bowl of a stand up mixer add oil and sugars and beat to combine and smooth. Add in eggs one at a time and mix between additions. Add in vanilla and mix.
In a separate medium sized bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves.
Add the flour slowly in batches to the egg mixture and beat until smooth.
Slowly add in the carrot, pineapple and walnuts and stir until just combined.
Fill the cupcake liners until they are 3/4 full.
Bake for 18-20 min. or until the cupcakes spring back with a light touch or a toothpick/cake tester comes out clean.
Let cool 5 min. in the pan and then completely cool on wire racks.
When cupcakes are cool prepare the frosting.
To prepare the frosting mix the cream cheese, butter and vanilla in a clean bowl of a stand up mixer. Beat well to combine, make slightly fluffy and smooth. Gradually add the powdered sugar and again beat well. Add the heavy cream to get the right consistency for piping.
Using a #21 star tip or tip of your choice add a dollop of icing to the middle of the cupcake to get some height. Then starting on the outside pipe in circles to the center. Garnish is chopped walnuts if desired.

Notes

Cupcakes will keep at room temperature for 8 hours, then store in an air tight container refrigerated for up to 4-5 days. Cupcakes will also freeze well.

Nutrition