Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
Carrot cake cupcakes with a moist, oil-based crumb full of freshly grated carrot and warm spice, baked in a muffin tin and finished with a tangy cream cheese frosting. One bowl and a whisk for the batter, a dozen cupcakes in an hour. The pictured batch was baked without liners and the frosting spooned on; see the notes.
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar packed
- 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp fine salt
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil or melted coconut oil
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups finely grated carrots about 2 medium carrots
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans optional
- 1/3 cup raisins optional
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 4 oz cream cheese block, softened
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar sifted
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 pinch fine salt
Equipment
- 12-cup muffin tin
- muffin liners
- Whisk
- Mixing bowls
- Rubber spatula
- grater
- Wire rack
Instructions
Make the Batter
- Heat the oven. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners, or grease and flour it well for the liner-free cupcakes in the photos.
- Mix the dry ingredients. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg together in a medium bowl.
- Beat the wet ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk both sugars with the eggs for about 1 minute, then whisk in the oil and vanilla until glossy.
- Combine. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and fold with a spatula just until no flour streaks remain. Do not overmix.
- Add the carrots. Fold in the grated carrots, plus the walnuts and raisins if using. The batter will be thick and speckled orange.
Bake
- Fill the tin. Divide the batter between the 12 cups, filling each about two-thirds full.
- Bake. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the tops spring back when pressed and a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool. Cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then run a thin knife around each cupcake if unlined, lift them out and cool completely on a rack.
Frost
- Make the frosting. Beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add the powdered sugar a half cup at a time on low speed, then the vanilla and salt, and beat for 1 minute until fluffy. For the soft spoon-on frosting pictured, beat in 1 to 2 teaspoons of milk.
- Frost the cupcakes. Spoon a generous tablespoon onto each cooled cupcake and let it settle, or pipe a swirl. Garnish with chopped nuts or a pinch of cinnamon if you like.
Notes
Pictured version: the cupcakes in the photos were baked in a greased and floured tin with no paper liners, without nuts or raisins, and the frosting was loosened with a teaspoon or two of milk and spooned on so it settles into a smooth cap. Liners and a piped swirl work just as well; skip the milk for piping.
Make ahead: bake up to 2 days ahead and keep unfrosted in an airtight container at room temperature. The frosting keeps 3 days in the fridge; let it soften and beat briefly before using.
Storage: frosted cupcakes keep in the fridge for up to 5 days. Freeze unfrosted cupcakes, wrapped, for up to 3 months and thaw at room temperature.
Substitutions: melted coconut oil for the vegetable oil; pecans for the walnuts; a quarter cup of drained crushed pineapple folded in with the carrots. Use block cream cheese, not the spreadable tub.
Doneness: the tops spring back when pressed and a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs, not clean. Start checking at 20 minutes.
Nutrition values are an estimate.
Nutrition
Calories: 260kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 170mg | Potassium: 90mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin A: 1750IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 65mg | Iron: 1mg