Carrot Cupcakes with Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting

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 Cake Cupcakes with Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting

 

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Yield: 18 cupcakes

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

1. Whisk together flour, soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a small bowl. Set aside.
2. 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.
3. Fill paper lined cupcake pans half full. Bake at 350° for 18-20 minutes. Cool completely.
4. 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.

3.5.3226

If you love cupcakes, here are a few more recipes you should check out:

Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes

Butterscotch Cupcakes

Cream Filled Chocolate Cupcakes