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Best Carrot Cake Cupcakes

Carrot Cake Cupcakes

Author Christi Johnstone
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Rich, moist and delicious carrot cake cupcakes topped with decadent cream cheese frosting. This is the best carrot cake cupcake recipe I've ever tried. These cupcakes can be made with or without raisins, nuts or coconut. These cupcakes are always a crowd pleaser.  
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 24 cupcakes

Ingredients

Carrot Cake Cupcakes

  • 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
  • 1/3 cup plain unsweetened applesauce
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice if you don't have, replace with additional ginger
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 3 cups grated carrots
  • 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans, walnuts or raisins OPTIONAL

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 8 oz cream cheese brick, not tub, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup butter softened
  • 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

Carrot Cake Cupcakes

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line muffin pans with 24 cupcake liners.
  • Mix together oil, applesauce, sugar, salt and eggs. Mix well to fully combine, but it's not necessary to use a mixer.
  • Add in flour, baking soda, salt and spices. Mix until just combined, do not overmix.
  • Fold in carrots, as well as nuts, raisins or coconut if using. Mix until just combined. Scoop into prepared muffin pan.
  • Bake for 21 to 24 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of one of the middle cupcakes comes out clean.
  • Remove from oven and allow to cool in pan for approximately 10 minutes, then remove and allow to cool completely on a wire rack. Once fully cooled, top with cream cheese frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • With a mixer, beat together cream cheese and butter until well combined, light and creamy.
  • Add in 1/2 the powdered sugar and mix until just combined. Add in remaining powdered sugar and beat until just combined.
  • Mix in vanilla and salt, mixing until just combined. Do not over-mix frosting.
  • If frosting is too thick you can add a teaspoon or two of cream, half and half or milk to reach the desired consistency.
  • Pipe or spread onto completely cooled carrot cake cupcakes.
  • Store frosted cupcakes in refrigerator.

Notes

Pumpkin pie spice called for can be replaced with ginger, nutmeg or more cinnamon. 
Use full fat cream cheese in the brick form. Frosting will not turn out the same with reduced fat cream cheese or cream cheese in tubs that is made for spreading. 
Store cupcakes in refrigerator. 
 

Nutrition

Calories: 249kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 47mg | Sodium: 322mg | Potassium: 88mg | Fiber: 0g | Sugar: 30g | Vitamin A: 2960IU | Vitamin C: 0.9mg | Calcium: 25mg | Iron: 0.8mg
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