Carrot Cake Cupcakes . . . spiced with cinnamon and topped with brown sugar cream cheese frosting, these cupcakes are simply perfect!
Classic carrot cake gets a fun update with these carrot cake cupcakes. In a “grab and eat” form, they are perfect for serving at any type of gathering. And just about everyone loves a good carrot cake.
I don’t make carrot cake nearly often enough, and I forgot how much I love it. These cupcakes are moist and delicious and have just the right amount of spice.
In my world, cream cheese frosting is an absolute must when it comes to carrot cake. Adding a little brown sugar to the frosting adds a richness and depth of flavor that is unbeatable!
I used a star tip to pipe my frosting onto the cupcakes. You can just spread the frosting on if you prefer. Spreading takes less frosting, so you can cut the frosting recipe in half if you opt for that method.
Tips for making carrot cake cupcakes:
-Beat your wet ingredients well, but be gentle when you add the dry ingredients. You just need to stir them in till they are barely combined. Over-mixing can cause tough cupcakes.
-Don’t overfill your cupcake liners. They should only be half full.
-After baking, the cupcakes will be flat. Don’t worry – that just makes them easier to frost!
-When making the frosting, leave enough time for the brown sugar to dissolve before you add the powdered sugar. You don’t want a grainy frosting!
Give these carrot cupcakes a try. I’m sure that after just one bite you will fall in love with them!
Handy supplies for making carrot cake cupcakes:
-Hand Mixer: I’ve used this Cuisinart mixer for over 5 years, and it is still going strong. Love it!
-Cupcake Liners: I like to use plain white cupcake liners to bake in, then place the cupcakes in fun liners after they cool.
-Food Processor: You can use a cheese grater to shred the carrots, but a food processor does make the job much easier. The one I have is no longer sold, but this food processor is a great deal and has good reviews on amazon.
-Decorating bags and tips: I like to use a 1M star tip for my frosting. This is a great basic cake decorating set that is super affordable.
Carrot Cake Cupcakes
Carrot Cupcakes with Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 1 1/4 cups flour
- 1/2 tsp + 1/8 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp + 1/8 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup canola oil
- 1/4 cup sour cream (light is fine)
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 1 1/2 cups finely grated carrots
- Frosting
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 2/3 cup brown sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla
- dash of salt
- 3 cups powdered sugar (more or less)
Instructions
- Whisk together flour, soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a small bowl. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat sugar, eggs, and oil till thick and foamy, 1-2 minutes. Add the sour cream, vanilla, and carrots and mix well. Add the dry ingredients and stir till just blended.
- Fill paper lined cupcake pans half full. Bake at 350° for 18-20 minutes. Cool completely.
- For frosting, beat together cream cheese, butter, and brown sugar till smooth. Let sit for 5-10 minutes till brown sugar dissolves completely. Add vanilla, salt, and enough powdered sugar to make a frosting thick enough to pipe. Use a large star tip to frost cupcakes.
Notes
This makes enough frosting to generously pipe frosting on the cupcakes. If you will be spreading it on, you can cut the recipe in half.
If you love cupcakes, here are a few more recipes you should check out:
Cream Filled Chocolate Cupcakes
I am going to make these cupcakes for a baby shower but am trying to decide when to make them. Are they better fresh or better being made 2-3 days before. I read on a different carrot cake cupcake recipe that they are even better later because it lets the spices become stronger. Is that true for this cupcake? Please answer ASAP.
P.S. These cupcakes look AMAZING!!!!!
I personally think they are better fresh because if left unfrosted they can dry out, but if frosted they can get soggy. You could definitely make them a day ahead though. If you want to make them 3 days ahead, I’d freeze them, then thaw and frost a few hours before serving. Have fun at the baby shower!!
Thanks Kara Cook!! I know they will be a big hit!
These are amazing! I’ve made them multiple times and they’re a huge hit! Is there anyway to turn this recipe into just a regular 8in cake?
I think it’s probably too much batter for one 8″ pan, but not quite enough for two. I’d cut the recipe in half and have a shorter cake rather than risk the batter overflowing into the oven. If you give it a try, let me know how it works!
What if i don’t have a sour cream?.. is there any alternate for it?
Plain yogurt or plain greek yogurt would work just as well. Buttermilk would probably work in a pinch. 🙂
This recipe was… how do I say it? Excellent!! Finally I have found a carrot cake recipe I love. Appreciate it!
Wow, just the cupcake recipe I was searching for, so good! Thanks!
Cupcakes look good, saved to my bookmarks!
Thanks for a Carrot Cake cupcake recipe without crushed pineapple or pecans! Looking forward to making these!
You are so welcome! My kids prefer them this way, that’s for sure. Hope you enjoy them!
I’ve always loved carrot cake, but I think I might like these cupcakes even more. The frosting is incredible!
Superb recipe, some of the tastiest cupcakes I’ve ever made!
I wanted to thank you for this very good cupcake recipe!! I absolutely enjoyed every bite. The frosting is so good!
Made this tonight and it was a hit. The icing was the best! Thanks for sharing. Need to work on my frosting skills.
It took me a bit of practice to get my frosting to look decent. Don’t worry, you’ll get there! But of course even if the frosting doesn’t look perfect, they still taste amazing! 🙂
Such a fun idea to serve carrot cake in cupcake form! We loved them, and the frosting is divine!
These cupcakes look super delicious. Thanks for sharing such a nice recipe.
Thanks for stopping by and leaving a nice comment. I appreciate it! And I hope you do give the cupcakes a try!
Oh yum – I haven’t always been fan of carrot cake – but these cupcakes are phenomenal! And that frosting… SO good!!
Thanks Kristyn, so glad you liked them!
This looks amazing!!! I’ve got to try this.
These are amazing and that cream cheese frosting is to die for!! I’ll have to make extra of the frosting next time so I can eat it on its own! 😉
Making extra frosting is a great plan!