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    Home » Dessert

    Carrot Cake Cupcakes

    Published: Mar 28, 2022 · Modified: Apr 8, 2022 by Aqueena · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

    Jump to Recipe
    Jump to:
    • Ingredients for Carrot Cake Cupcakes
    • Ingredients for Brown Butter Cream Cheese Icing
    • How to Make Carrot Cupcakes
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • More Easy Recipes
    • 📖Recipe

    Carrot Cake Cupcakes are much better than a slab cake, or a round cake. I've always been team cupcake because they are so easy. Don't be intimidated by this recipe - it's wildly easy with impressive results. I top these with Browned Butter Cream Cheese which takes these cupcakes to another level. Browning Butter is simple and I walk you through the process here.

    a close up photo of a carrot cupcake topped with brown butter cream cheese icing and walnut pieces

    Ingredients for Carrot Cake Cupcakes

    • Carrots
    • Brown Sugar
    • White Sugar
    • Eggs
    • Canola Oil
    • Baking Soda
    • Baking Powder
    • Cinnamon
    • Cloves
    • Nutmeg
    • Ginger
    • Salt
    • All-Purpose Flour
    Ingredients for Carrot Cake on a board. Flour Carrots Eggs Oil, white sugar, brown sugar, Salt, baking soda, baking powder, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger
    Photo Shows Quantity of Ingredients for 24 cupcakes

    Ingredients for Brown Butter Cream Cheese Icing

    • Butter
    • Cream Cheese
    • Icing Sugar
    • Vanilla
    • Salt
    brown butter cream cheese icing ingredients

    How to Make Carrot Cupcakes

    1. Mix the sugars and grated carrot until blended well, about 3 minutes.
    2. Mix the oil and eggs together, and add to the carrot-sugar mix.
    3. Sift together the flour, leaveners, salt and spices.
    4. In three parts, fold in the spiced flour mixture. Only mix until the flour is no longer visible. Over mixing will cause a dense and chewy cake.
    5. Line a standard-size cupcake/muffin tin with paper liners.
    6. Bake in a 350 degree Fahrenheit preheated oven for 25 minutes.
    7. Make Brown Butter Cream Cheese Icing
    8. Decorate once Chilled
    9. Enjoy
    Carrots, brown sugar and white sugar in a bowl
    carrot cake cupcakes in a muffin tin before baking
    brown butter cream cheese icing ingredients
    a carrot cake cupcake with a bite taken out of it

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Can I use this recipe to make a cake?

    Yes, absolutely! I like to use 2 8" cake pans and line them with parchment paper rounds. If you don't have parchment paper rounds you can cut them yourself using this method or grease the pans and flour them first. Bake the cake in a 350 Degree Fahrenheit oven for 40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

    Can I add nuts into this batter?

    You can add the crushed walnuts into the batter instead of on top of the icing but it will throw off the volume of the cupcakes making more than 12 so keep that in mind.

    How long does carrot cake last?

    Once frosted, you should store it in the fridge. It will remain delicious and safe for 6 days.

    Can I add Pineapple?

    Yes, It will add a lot of moisture and increase baking time by about 5 minutes. Drain the pineapple first, don't add more than 1 cup of pineapple tidbits. it will throw off the volume of the cupcakes making more than 12 so keep that in mind.

    carrot cake cupcakes in a muffin tin before baking

    More Easy Recipes

    If you like these cupcakes please try my Pumpkin Pie Muffins with a Cream Cheese Swirl they taste so similar and are even easier to make!

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    📖Recipe

    a close up photo of a carrot cupcake topped with brown butter cream cheese icing and walnut pieces

    Carrot Cake Cupcakes

    Spiced Carrot Cake is topped with a decadent browned butter cream cheese frosting.
    4.5 from 2 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 25 mins
    Cook Time 25 mins
    Chilling 1 hr
    Total Time 50 mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American, Canadian
    Servings 12 Cupcakes
    Calories 346 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    Carrot Cake - Wet Ingredients

    • 1 Cup Carrot Finely Shredded and Packed
    • ½ Cup White Sugar
    • ½ Cup Brown Sugar Packed
    • 2 Large Eggs
    • ¾ Cup Canola Oil

    Cake Ingredients to Sift together - Dry Ingredients

    • ½ Teaspoon Table Salt
    • ½ Teaspoon Baking Soda
    • ½ Teaspoon Baking Powder
    • ½ Teaspoon Cinnamon
    • ⅛ Teaspoon Cloves
    • ¼ Teaspoon Ginger
    • ¼ Teaspoon Nutmeg
    • 1⅛ Cup All Purpose Flour

    Browned Butter Cream Cheese Frosting

    • ⅛ Cup Browned Butter ⅛ of a cup is equal to 2 tablespoons
    • 1 Brick Cream Cheese (8 oz or 250g) Softened
    • 2 Cups Confectioners Sugar Spooned and Leveled
    • 1 Teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract or 1 vanilla bean
    • ½ Teaspoon Salt

    Cake Topping

    • ½ Cup Crushed Walnuts

    Instructions
     

    Prep Work

    • Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a muffin tin with paper liners.

    Cake - Wet Ingredients

    • Wash, Peel and Shred Carrots. Measure by packing the shredded carrot into a dry measuring cup, for most accurate results. I like to use the smaller 'zest' side of a box grater for this.
    • With a stand or hand mixer, blend the carrots with the brown sugar and white sugar on medium speed for 3 minutes.
    • Whisk the eggs and oil together and add in to the carrots + Sugar mixture. Mix until combined.

    Cake - Dry Ingredients

    • Using a fine mesh sieve, combine the salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves and flour.
      Note: to measure the flour spoon it into a dry measuring cup and then level it off. (⅛ of a cup is equal to 2 tablespoons)

    Cake - Combine wet and dry Ingredients

    • Add ⅓ of the dry ingredients into the wet. Use a rubber spatula to fold in the dry ingredients. Doing this by hand helps prevent over mixing. Mixing the dry ingredients in ⅓ at a time helps to ensure that everything is incorporated evenly without having to over mix.

    Bake

    • Using a large cookie scoop, fill cupcake liners ⅘ of the way full.
    • Bake in the center of the oven for 25 minutes. If you have a convection oven I find having it on regular bake mode (no fan) produces better results.

    Icing

    • While the cupcakes bake take the cream cheese out of the fridge to soften it.
    • Make the Brown Butter: In a thick bottomed saucepan or skillet on medium heat: melt the butter. Once Butter is melted, stir continuously, the butter will foam up and the butter solids will start to toast and brown up. The butter will start to have a nutty aroma. At this point you are done and can remove the butter from the stove and into the fridge to chill the butter. Chill for one hour to firm up.
      Note: You can make this icing without browning the butter but if you've ever had browned butter then you will know that it's totally worth the effort.
    • Using a stand mixer or electric hand mixer: Blend the Cream Cheese and Firmed up Brown Butter together. Add in Sugar. Blend. Add in Vanilla and Salt. Whip to Combine and you're all done - easy hey?!

    Decorate

    • You can pipe this icing on to the cupcakes but cream cheese icing is not as stiff as buttercream. So, just know not to expect a tall swirl like you can achieve with buttercream. I like to use a 1M Tip and start in the middle and work my way outwards to create a simple flower. You can also use a spoon and smooth the icing on top. It's a very forgiving icing to work with. If you would like to top with walnuts simply crush them and sprinkle on top.
    • Store in the fridge until ready to enjoy.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1CupcakeCalories: 346kcalCarbohydrates: 47gProtein: 2gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 36mgSodium: 295mgPotassium: 73mgFiber: 1gSugar: 37gVitamin A: 1887IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 29mgIron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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