These easy Carrot Cake Cupcakes are soft, fluffy, moist, and full of delicious flavor! Made completely from scratch with real carrots and topped with a dreamy cream cheese frosting.
Be sure to try more of my FAVORITE carrot flavored recipes! Carrot Cake Oatmeal, Carrot Whoopie Pies, and The BEST Carrot Cake Recipe are all fan favorites!
Recipe Features
- Perfect Flavor: The blend of fresh carrots and spices is something I’ve worked on for years. It is perfection.
- Great Cupcake OR Cake: You can make this recipe as a cake or cupcakes!
- Freezer Friendly: You can freeze unfrosted cupcakes for up to 2 months!
These carrot cake cupcakes are honestly one of my all-time favorites. The delicate flavor of carrot paired with cinnamon and nutmeg is unbeatable. There’s also the added bonus that scientists have declared that you actually can get a serving of veggies from cake! Is it the best way to get your daily dose of veggies? Probably not, but a girl can dream!
Top these super moist cakes with the most dreamy and creamy cream cheese frosting for the ultimate treat. Perfect all year long, but especially around Easter!
Carrot Cupcake Ingredients
- Flour: I’ve made these with all-purpose flour as well as a mixture of all-purpose and whole wheat with great success.
- Leavening Agents: Double check the expiration date of your baking powder and baking soda. Many people do not realize that these items expire and should be replaced for best results.
- Spices: Specifically, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt. All of these items blend together to give you a spice cake that is full of flavor, but works beautifully to not overpower the carrot.
- Carrots: You can purchase carrots that have already been shredded, but I find we get a more moist cake by shredding our own.
- Sugar: A mixture of both white and brown sugar is key. The brown sugar adds just a hint of molasses flavor that takes this cake to the next level.
- Eggs: Large eggs, preferably at room temperature.
- Oil: Can you use butter? Yes. However, oil is what makes these bakery worthy. If you want moist and light cakes, stick with baking oil like vegetable, avocado, or coconut.
How To Make Carrot Cupcakes
- PREP: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line 1 cupcake tin with paper liners. Set aside for later.
- WHISK: Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt to a medium sized mixing bowl. Whisk to combine. Add the carrots and gently toss.
- MIX: Combine both sugars and the eggs to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer. Stir at low/medium speed until combined and fluffy. Slowly add the oil.
- BATTER: Scrape the sides of the bowl and add the dry ingredient/carrot mixture. Slowly stir until the dry and wet ingredients combine completely, about 1 minute.
- BAKE: Divide between the cupcake liners, filling each 3/4 full. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick that is poked into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
- FROST: Cool completely and frost with cream cheese frosting.
Helpful Tools
- I used a 1M tip (affiliate) to pipe the cream cheese frosting into a rose pattern. I actually have a full tutorial that you can find here for that rose finish.
- Scoop: I’m obsessed with my cookie scoop (affiliate). I use it for cookies BUT I also use it to evenly fill cupcake liners. This ensures perfect sized cupcakes every single time.
- Airtight Container: Extend the life of your cupcakes by keeping them stored in a large airtight container (affiliate).
Recipe Notes:
This is a very important step to consider before making your batter. In a pinch, you can purchase pre-shredded carrots in the produce department of your grocery store. However, we get the best results when we shred our own. Follow these easy steps.
Use a peeler to remove the outside of each carrot.
Use the smallest holes in your cheese grater and carefully move the carrot along the grater until you have enough carrot shredded for your needs.
Alternatively, you can use a food processor.
There are so many amazing options to pair with this cake. It is very versatile but here are a few of our favorite frostings to compliment the carrot flavor:
Cream Cheese Frosting
Cinnamon Buttercream
Eggnog Buttercream
If stored properly, homemade cupcakes will last 1 to 2 days at room temperature. Since these are topped with cream cheese frosting I highly suggest you keep them stored inside of the refrigerator. Let sit at room temperature 30 minutes before serving.
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Carrot Cake Cupcakes
Ingredients
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1¼ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon grated nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 cups finely shredded carrots
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1½ cups oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line 1 cupcake tin with paper liners. Set aside for later.
- Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt to a medium sized mixing bowl. Whisk to combine.
- Add the carrots to the dry ingredients and gently toss. Set aside.
- Combine both sugars and the eggs to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer. Stir at low/medium speed until combined and fluffy. Slowly add the oil, stirring until fully combined.
- Scrape the sides of the bowl and add the dry ingredient/carrot mixture. Slowly stir until the dry and wet ingredients combine completely, about 1 minute.
- Divide between the cupcake liners, filling each 3/4 full. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick that is poked into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
- Cool completely and frost with cream cheese frosting.
Notes
Nutrition
Equipment
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Comments & Reviews
Heidi says
Can these be frozen? If so for how long? With or without frosting?
Jesseca says
Hi Heidi. You can freeze these one of two ways:
1. You can freeze the batter and bake later.
2. You can freeze baked and cooled cupcakes, unfrosted, for up to 3 months. I suggest wrapping each individually and using a quality freezer container vs a ziptop bag.
Angie says
The cooking time was too short and they were still gooey I had to double the time. Once they were cooked, awesome!
Riana Jacobs says
Please send your cream cheese recipe!
Jesseca says
https://onesweetappetite.com/cream-cheese-frosting/
Lisa says
Hi! I’m using carrots from my mother in laws garden, so, they are not all average size carrots. Approximately, how many cups of shredded carrots are needed? Thank you!!
Jesseca says
2-3 cups of carrots. Try this updated recipe: https://onesweetappetite.com/carrot-cupcakes/
Lisa says
Fantastic! Thank you!
Staci says
I was wondering how well this would work as a cake? I loved them as cupcakes by the way!
Jesseca says
It works great. https://onesweetappetite.com/carrot-cake/
Liz says
What kind of oil?
No butter?
Thanks! This receipe looks great!
Jesseca says
I like to use coconut oil, but you can use vegetable or canola.
Natalie says
does the t stand for tablespoon or teaspoon?
Jesseca says
t is teaspoon
T is tablespoon
I’m in the process of changing all of those in my recipes. Sorry about that!
Melissa @ My Recent Favorite books says
These look awesome! =)
Thanks!
Sheryl @ Lady Behind The Curtain says
I love your recipes! Thanks for sharing them at Cast Party Wednesday! ~Sheryl @ Lady Behind The Curtain~
John Barrie says
I will definitely give these a spin the next time I get called upon for mass baking duty.
Gina says
They look yummy… but I am not a carrot cake fan either. But your frosting job looks amazing!
Kristin Barlow says
I am getting my ingredients out right now, these look really yummy!!
Kristan @ Doodle Do Designs says
Yum! These look great. I have everything I need to make them (need to check on the cream cheese recipe) so I might just whip some up today. Thanks for sharing!