Carrot cake cupcakes

Carrot cake cupcakes

50 min
Take a bite of our easy carrot cake cupcakes, a perfect blend of sweetness and spice. Adorned with velvety, classic cream cheese frosting, a sprinkle of walnuts, and a hint of grated carrots, these cupcakes are as tasty as they are beautiful. Whether you crave a warm, spicy kick or a sweet afternoon indulgence, this simple recipe promises moist, flavourful cupcakes that will quickly become your go-to for homemade sweet treats.
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Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 180°C (conventional oven). Line a muffin tray with paper cases.
  • Peel, wash, and finely grate carrots. Chop walnuts.
  • In a bowl, whisk butter, sugar, and vanilla until fluffy.
  • Stir in cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and apple sauce until smooth, then add eggs one at a time. Fold in 180 g of the grated carrots.
  • In another bowl, mix flour, 50 g of the chopped walnuts, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Fold this into the batter until just combined.
  • Fill the muffin cases to ¾ full and bake in the oven for 17-20 minutes or until the cupcakes are dry on top and lightly browned. Let them cool completely.
Frosting
  • Whip cream cheese and icing sugar. Add the frosting to the cooled cupcakes with an angled palette or butter knife.
  • Decorate with the remaining carrots and walnuts.
Enjoy!
Tips

Let all ingredients come to room temperature to make sure they are easy to whisk together. This is especially important for the frosting as you might experience lumps or need to whisk for too long, ruining the texture if the cream cheese is too cold. You can always let the finished frosting rest in the fridge to chill slightly for 30 minutes before decorating the cupcakes.

Tips

You can bake the carrot cake muffins the day before to save time. This way, you do not need to wait for them to cool either. However, we recommend adding the frosting close to the serving, so the cupcakes do not turn soggy.

Ingredients

Cupcakes
Carrots
200 g
Walnuts
80 g
Unsalted butter
120 g
Sugar
120 g
Vanilla pod (the seeds) or 1 tsp vanilla extract
1
Ground cinnamon
2 tsp
Ground nutmeg
½ tsp
Ground ginger
½ tsp
Apple sauce
150 g
Eggs
2
Flour
250 g
Baking powder
2½ tsp
Baking soda
½ tsp
Salt
½ tsp
Frosting
Cream cheese
250 g
Icing sugar
50 g
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Easy carrot cake cupcakes with cream cheese frosting

If you are looking for something sweet with a spicy kick, these carrot cake cupcakes are a good option. Decorated with cream cheese frosting, walnuts, and grated carrots, they look beautiful and taste amazing. They are easy to make, so there is a short way to serve a delightfully moist and flavourful cupcake for a sweet afternoon treat, dessert table, or whenever you are in the mood for freshly baked cupcakes.

Sweetened with apple sauce and delicately spiced

The small carrot cakes are sweetened with apple sauce and infused with a delicate blend of spices. The apple sauce brings a natural sweetness and ensures each cupcake is wonderfully moist, creating a tender crumb and a natural sweetness that enhances the sweetness of the carrots and balances the spices. Cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger add a warm, comforting, and aromatic depth, resulting in cupcakes with a perfect balance of sweetness and spice with a luxuriously soft and moist texture.

Classic frosting and chopped walnuts

You never go wrong with a classic cream cheese frosting. With only a few ingredients, it is as simple as it is delicious, offering a light and airy texture as well as an irresistible, sweet flavour. It goes with almost any cake, but it is especially popular with different types of carrot cakes, including this cupcake version. The sweet frosting complements the warm spices and sweet carrots in the cakes, making for a delightful topping you do not want to miss. On top of the frosting, a touch of grated carrots and chopped walnuts makes sure you will come back for seconds. The carrots add a fresh, slightly crisp, and juicy burst, while the walnuts add a delightful crunch and a nutty, rich, and slightly bitter flavour to complement the sweetness in the cupcakes and frosting. In addition, both contribute to elevating the look of the carrot cake cupcakes. Check out our other recipes with cream cheese frosting, for example, our rich carrot chocolate cake, our Easter cupcakes with chocolate eggs, and our carrot cake with dates.

Perfect to serve for a crowd

Cupcakes are ideal when you are serving a group of guests, as everyone can easily grab one and enjoy it without having to slice and serve anything. With their moist base, rich cream cheese frosting, and delightful spices, kids and adults alike will love them, making them even more ideal for a crowd since you cater to everyone's likings with just one cupcake flavour. Serve them for a festive Easter celebration, birthdays, or any other get-together with family and friends.

Experiment with carrot cake classics

You can add all the carrot cake classics to this cupcake recipe, letting you experiment and make your absolute favourites. It already contains most of the classic spices, but you can try adding cardamom to round off the flavours. Other classics include raisins, chocolate chips or chunks, and various nuts, for example, hazelnuts, in addition to or instead of walnuts. Raisins bring a chewy texture and a burst of natural sweetness to each bite, complementing the subtle spiciness of the cupcakes, while chocolate introduces a rich, decadent element. These extra ingredients will give your carrot cake cupcakes the full carrot cake experience, offering a classic and delicious taste and texture.

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