Carrot Cake Cupcakes are always a hit as they are soft, moist and delicious! You can easily add in our favorite nuts or raisins to make this recipe your own.
I have been making a delicious Carrot Cake Recipe for years. The texture and flavor taste delicious combined with cream cheese frosting recipe. Then I started making Carrot Cake Cupcakes and the results were amazing.
All the same great taste in convenient cupcakes! It’s one of the cupcake recipes everyone begs me to make. Another favorite is Lemon Raspberry Cupcakes and Snickers Cupcakes.
I also sneak in veggies and make Chocolate Zucchini Bread.
Table of contents
Why we love this recipe
- Grated carrots make the cupcakes so moist.
- The cream cheese frosting take the recipe to the next level.
- It is the best carrot cake cupcakes with easy to follow instructions.
Ingredients
- All-Purpose Flour
- Granulated Sugar (Brown Sugar can be used instead.)
- Baking Powder
- Baking soda
- Canola oil
- Buttermilk. What is Buttermilk?
- Finely Shredded Carrots
- Chopped Walnuts or Pecans (Optional)
- Raisins (Optional)
Scroll to the bottom and get the complete ingredient list.
Frosting
- Cream Cheese
- Unsalted butter
- Powdered Sugar
- Vanilla Extract
For the canola oil, I have used vegetable oil and melted coconut oil for when I was out and both worked great, so use whatever you have on hand.
Variations
- Frosting. If you don’t like cream cheese frosting, you can top these cupcakes with buttercream frosting instead.
How to carrot cake cupcakes
- Step 1. First, preheat the oven and fill your muffin pans with paper liners.
Step 2. Then in a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon and whisk together.
Step 3. Then in a separate bowl, beat eggs, then mix in canola oil, buttermilk, vanilla, and carrots. This is the step that I use my hand held mixer or stand mixer with the paddle attachment to thoroughly combine these ingredients.
Step 4. Next add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir to combine.
Step 5. Fold in your walnuts and raisins with a rubber spatula. These ingredients are completely optional. I love them in these cupcakes but you do not like nuts or raisins in your desserts then it’s fine to leave them out.
Step 6. Next divide the batter into the cupcake liners. I used a ¼ measuring cup to place the batter into the liners until they’re approximately ¾ full.
Step 7. Then bake the cupcakes for about 12-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Step 8. While the cupcakes cool, make the frosting. Beat the cream cheese and butter in a large mixing bowl until smooth. Gradually add the powdered sugar ½ cup at a time until it’s well incorporated. Next add the vanilla extract and beat until the frosting is smooth.
Step 9. Then use this frosting to frost each cupcake.
Frequently Asked Questions
I love topping these cupcakes with a few chopped up pecans or walnuts. It’s add the perfect touch to the top of the cupcakes and is easy to do.
You can also add a few raisins as well. I have also seen some use small candy carrots and they are adorable as well.
Since the cupcakes are topped with cream cheese frosting, they do need to be store in the refrigerator. Keep them covered or in an airtight container and they should last for up to 4-5 days.
Yes, you can freeze these carrot cake cupcakes. Generally, I prefer to freeze them without frosting. I flash freeze the cupcakes by placing them on a baking sheet and freeze them for 1 hour. Then after that time I transfer the cupcakes to a freezer bag to freeze for up to 3 months.
Then when you’re ready to enjoy these cupcakes, allow them to thaw at room temperature and then frost so you can enjoy them.
More Carrot Cake Recipes
- Carrot Cake Truffles
- Easy Carrot Cake Mix Cookies Recipe
- The Best Keto Carrot Cake Recipe
- Carrot Cake Cookies Recipe
Carrot Cake Cupcakes
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes:
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 4 eggs beaten
- 1 cup canola oil
- 1/2 cups buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 3 cups finely shredded carrots
- 3/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
- 3/4 cup raisins
For the Frosting:
- 1 package 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 4 tablespoons ½ stick unsalted butter, softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar sifted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
For the Cupcakes:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and fill cupcake pan with liners
- In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon and whisk together.
- In another bowl, beat eggs, then mix in canola oil, buttermilk, vanilla, and carrots.
- Add carrot mixture to flour mixture and stir to combine.
- Fold in walnuts and raisins.
- Divide batter into cupcake liners and bake for about 12-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool completely
For the Frosting:
- Add cream cheese and butter in large mixing bowl and beat until creamy and smooth.
- Gradually add powdered sugar.
- Add vanilla extract.
- Beat until smooth.
- Frost cooled cupcakes.
