Most Amazing Carrot Cake Cupcakes
The Most Amazing Carrot Cake Cupcakes are moist, fluffy, and full of delicious spiced carrot cake flavor! This easy one-bowl cupcake recipe includes our favorite cream cheese frosting.
How is it that carrot cake is so often left behind, while everyone around us is chowing down on white or chocolate cake? We get it, there are carrots in your cake and some people find that strange. But please, listen closely because we are here to tell you all that carrot cake is absolutely delicious. It’s tastes like a spiced cake, which is already amazing on its own, and adding that cream cheese frosting on top makes this SO much better than a standard white or chocolate cake. Making a cake always feels like so much work, so we are bringing you this amazing recipe cupcake style. We love how cupcakes are their own perfectly portioned desserts. Honestly though, who’s going to notice if you take 2? We won’t tell.
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Nuts Vs. No Nuts in Carrot Cake Cupcakes:
Whether you have a nut allergy or simply don’t love nuts in your baked goods, nuts are always optional in carrot cake cupcakes. You do not need to replace with anything else, you can simply omit them.
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Raisins Optional:
If you want to make this recipe as close to the traditional and original dating way back to Medieval times, then you should definitely add raisins. However, we’re not one to keep tradition just for tradition’s sake, so you do you! If you love them, keep them in! If you don’t love raisins, go ahead and leave them out.
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Egg replacement Options:
There are many egg replacement options that work well in cake baking:
- 1/4 cup of plain yogurt per egg
- 1 tablespoon vinegar+ 1 teaspoon baking powder whisked together per egg
- 1/4 cup mashed banana per egg
- 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce per egg
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How to pipe frosting:
If you have pastry bags and decorating tips, that is awesome! Go ahead and grab those, fill your pastry bag with frosting, and use either a 1M, 2A, or 2D tip. Make one large swirl on the bottom, covering the entire top of your cupcake, and then continue that swirl, making it slightly smaller as you add height to your frosting until you reach your desired height.
If you do not have pastry bags, do not fret! You can fill a gallon size Ziplock bag with frosting, squeeze the air out, and then cut a small tip in one of the bottom corners. Squeeze your frosting through that tip in the same swirling, circular motion as in the above instructions.
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Storage Instructions:
Cream cheese frosting does need to be refrigerated, so any leftovers will need to be stored in a container with a well fitting lid. They should last for up to a 5 days.
If you like this recipe, you may be interested in these other delicious cupcake recipes:
Watch the video below where Rachel will walk you through every step of this recipe. Sometimes it helps to have a visual, and we’ve always got you covered with our cooking show. You can find the complete collection of recipes on YouTube, Facebook Watch, or our Facebook Page, or right here on our website with their corresponding recipes.
Most Amazing Carrot Cake Cupcakes
Carrot Cake Cupcakes
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 3/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- 3/4 teaspoon table salt
- 3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 3/4 cup canned crushed pineapple , lightly drained
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 cups finely shredded carrots
- 1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts
- 1 1/2 cups golden raisins (optional)
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 12 ounces cream cheese , softened
- 1/2 cup salted butter , softened
- 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 – 3 cups powdered sugar
Carrot Cake Cupcakes
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Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners. Recipe makes 24 cupcakes so you may have to cook it in batches unless you have two muffin tins.
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In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, allspice and salt.
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Add applesauce, crushed pineapple, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla. Use a hand mixer to beat on a medium speed until smooth. This should take just 1 to 2 minutes.
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Use a rubber spatula to stir in shredded carrots, walnuts, and raisins (if using) until just combined.
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Fill each cupcake 2/3 full. Bake for 20-22 minutes until the cupcakes meet the toothpick test (stick a toothpick in and it comes out clean). Remove from tins and cool completely.
Cream Cheese Frosting
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Use a hand mixer to beat cream cheese and butter together for 1 minute until light and fluffy. Add in vanilla extract and mix until combined, about 10 seconds.
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Slowly add in powdered sugar, one half cup at a time until smooth, mixing between additions. Use to frost completely cooled cakes. Store frosting and/or frosted cake in the refrigerator.