If you are a fan of carrot cake, you will surely love these moist carrot cake cupcakes with cream cheese frosting. They are simple and easy to make, have a lovely spice flavor, and are topped with a delicious homemade frosting and walnuts.
The frosting elevates the taste with its tangy cream cheese flavor. It also balances the sweetness of the cupcake. That is why the sugary taste isn't over-the-top.
Related: Carrot Orange Cake Recipe and Simple Carrot Cake Recipe.
The texture of these carrot cupcakes is also just as perfect as how it tastes. It has a tender, smooth, and light texture paired with the rich frosting of cream cheese.
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Easy Carrot Cake Cupcakes Recipe
There is no strict and particular time for a person to eat this delightful carrot cupcake. Some eat it at breakfast; others serve it to their families at snack time during past midday.
Carrots serve as the base flavor for this recipe, yet some condiments enhance the flavors more than their natural taste. Cinnamon, ginger, and walnuts are just a few ingredients that enrich the carrot cupcake.
This recipe will teach anyone an efficient way to make and serve an excellent carrot cake cupcakes with cream cheese frosting without a lot of hassle.
Why Does This Recipe Works?
One can make carrot cupcakes in various ways, as the internet taught us. When you keyed up "how to make carrot cupcakes," many websites would come up. The results won't disappoint you since those recipes will give you the same outcome— a batch of carrot cupcakes.
However, this particular recipe works because of the following:
- Ingredients are not costly.
- You can find the ingredients in your pantry, or if not, in your nearest convenience stores.
- Great recipe for beginners.
- The taste is guaranteed to satisfy everyone.
- Children and adults will love carrot cupcakes with fluffy cream cheese frosting.
- This easy and classic dessert is healthy and so simple.
- Perfect for breakfast, snack or even dessert.
- These moist cupcakes are my favorite way to celebrate mother's day or any other special occasions.
Ingredients
For The Carrot Cake
- All-purpose Flour: Achieve your fluffy and soft carrot cupcake by adding the right amount of all-purpose flour to your batter!
- Walnuts: Add walnuts to the batter for some crunchy texture. Plus, it adds a bit of savory flavor to contrast the sweetness.
- Raisins: Many try to skip raisins to their dishes, but raisins actually give the whole recipe a sweeter and fruity flavor.
- Granulated sugar: I used white sugar in making these cupcakes. However, feel free to use light brown sugar for the batter as it helps to produce more complex sweetness and more moisture to the cupcake when done baking.
- Cinnamon and Ground Ginger: For those who are still new in baking and cooking, adding cinnamon and ginger to a cupcake would sound a bit weird. However, cinnamon and ground ginger will actually add spice and earthy flavor to the carrot cupcake.
- Baking powder and Baking Soda: These two agents would help in increasing the volume and lighten the texture of the cupcakes.
- Salt: A pinch of salt has always been the best enhancer of flavors, so don't forget to add this to your batter!
- Carrots: Ensure that the carrots you will use in this recipe are grated as they are more flavorful and moist.
- Sour Cream: A moist texture in the cupcake would be possible by adding sour cream. You can replace it with plain yoghurt if you like.
- Oil: I recommend using vegetable oil or canola oil in making these cupcakes as it is healthier and help in making the cupcakes moist and soft. However, you may use unsalted butter instead.
- Eggs: Remember that the yolks of eggs enhance the golden brown color of baked goods, and the egg as a whole makes a softer and smoother texture.
- Vanilla Extract: Tone down the spice of cinnamon and ginger with drops of vanilla extract.
For The Cream Cheese Frosting
- Cream Cheese: The mild and pleasant taste of cream cheese makes a perfect frosting. I recommend using Mascarpone or Philadelphia.
- Heavy Whipping Cream: For a soft and fluffy frosting, use heavy whipping cream.
- Icing Sugar: The frosting isn't complete without the magic of icing sugar!
“See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.”
Variations & Substitutions
- Replace raisins with sultana or dried cranberry if you like. The taste will remain the same.
- You can substitute sour cream for plain Greek yoghurt.
- Add in some chocolate chips or dried fruits.
- Add a pinch of nutmeg to the butter, if you like to add more warm spices to your cupcakes.
How to Make Carrot Cake Cupcakes With Cream Cheese Frosting?
Before starting, preheat the oven to 180C / 356F, line 12 cups muffin tin with paper liners or grease with butter. Use a hand grater or food processor to grate the carrot and set it aside.
One: In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, eggs and vanilla extract with the electric mixer until fluffy.
Two: Add the oil and sour cream, whisk again.
Three: Now, stir in flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and ground ginger (dry ingredients) with a rubber spatula or a wooden spoon until combined.
Four: Fold the walnuts and carrots into the flour mixture, then add the raisins and mix again.
Five: Scoop the cupcake batter into the prepared cupcake liners and bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown.
Let the carrot muffins cool on a wire rack before adding the frosting.
Six (Make the cream cheese frosting): In a medium bowl, beat the heavy cream until thick and stiff peak forms.
Seven: Stir in the cream cheese and icing sugar until combined.
Eight: Add the cream cheese mixture into a piping bag with a star tip and decorate all the cooled cupcakes, then sprinkle some chopped walnuts on top (if you like).
Success Tip!
- Either use a paper liner or grease the muffin pan with butter so that the cupcakes won't stick as they bake.
- Be mindful in adding cinnamon and ginger if you don't want their spice to overcome the sweetness of the cupcake!
- Don't add the frosting right away. Let the carrot muffins cool down first. It saves the frosting from becoming gooey.
- For a healthier version of these moist carrot cake cupcakes, skip the frosting and sprinkle a little powdered sugar on top of the unfrosted cupcakes.
- You may be safe sometimes if you buy a pre-shredded carrot from your local grocery store.
Carrots
Carrots are the star of this recipe and the one that makes it so moist and nutritious. When grating the carrots, make sure to use a standard grated box because you don't need tiny or big chunks in your batter.
You may use pre-shredded carrots to save time; however, the freshly gated has the best flavor.
Cream Cheese Frosting
The secret to a firm and thick cream cheese frosting is refrigerating for at least 30 minutes before frosting the cupcakes. This will allow your frosting to firm up and thicken a little.
Piping: If you don't like pipe, you may just spread it on top of the cupcakes with a spatula, then sprinkle the nuts on top.
Leftover frosting can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days or in the freezer for a couple of months.
Serving Suggestions
In the morning, carrot cupcakes' sweet and rich flavor with cream cheese frosting will go well with the firm and bitter taste of espresso or Iced White Chocolate Mocha. Children can eat these cupcakes while drinking their fresh milk, Korean Strawberry Milk or Strawberry Milk Tea (Boba) in the morning too!
Chocolate Bubble Tea, Greek Yogurt Smoothie or Caramel Latte are common beverages paired with warm carrot cake cupcakes at snack time.
Recipe FAQs
Walnuts and pecans will go well with the flavor of cream cheese frosting. Just make sure to thoroughly crush the walnuts and pecans before adding them as decoratives.
The cream cheese frosting spoils quickly, so keep these cupcakes in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days.
Yes, you can. Put the carrot cupcake in a well-sealed container in the fridge for 1-2 months, thaw at room temperature. You can also freeze the carrot muffins and the cream cheese frosting separately if you like.
Easy Cupcake Recipes
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Recipe Card
Moist Carrot Cake Cupcakes With Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup walnuts , roughly chopped
- ½ cup raisins
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups grated carrots
- ½ cup sour cream
- ⅔ cup cooking oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the frosting
- 150 g cream cheese
- 4 tablespoon icing sugar
- 100 ml heavy whipping cream
- 1 tablespoon walnuts , chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C/ 356F. Line 12 cups muffin pan with paper liner or grease with butter.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together sugar, eggs and vanilla extract until fluffy.1 cup sugar, 2 eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Add the oil and sour cream, whisk again.⅔ cup cooking oil, ½ cup sour cream
- Now, stir in flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and ground ginger.2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- Fold in walnuts and grated carrots, mix, then add the raisins and mix again.½ cup walnuts, 1 ½ cups grated carrots, ½ cup raisins
- Scoop the batter into the muffin cups and bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown.
- Let the carrot muffins cool down before adding the frosting.
Make the frosting
- In a mixing bowl, beat the heavy cream until thick and stiff peak forms.100 ml heavy whipping cream
- Stir in the cream cheese and icing sugar until combined.150 g cream cheese, 4 tablespoon icing sugar
- Add the cream cheese mixture into a piping bag with a star tip and decorate all the carrot cupcakes, then sprinkle some chopped walnuts on top (if you like).1 tablespoon walnuts
Notes
- Either use a paper liner or grease the muffin pan with butter so that the cupcakes won't stick as they bake.
- Be mindful in adding cinnamon and ginger if you don't want their spice to overcome the sweetness of the cupcake!
- Don't add the frosting right away. Let the carrot muffins cool down first. It saves the frosting from becoming gooey.
Glenna M Johnson
I am one of those people who prefer to leave raisins out, or to a minimum. And many carrot cake recipes are too strong on the allspice (which yours does not have, thank you.). To add moisture as well as lighten the flavor, I add a can of pineapple from which most of the juice has been drained. Even if you like raisins, the pineapple brightens the flavor.
Scarlett
Can I use mini cakes tin?
Radwa
Yes, you can; just adjust the baking time accordingly.
Kate
I make these cupcakes every other week. Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Olivia
Delicious and easy to make and the topping is dense and sweet. I love them!