Carrot Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

People of all ages love carrot cupcakes with cream cheese frosting for their warm sweetness and the lovely spice tone from cinnamon and ginger.

The cheese frosting also 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. 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.

There is no strict and particular time for a person to eat this delightful carrot cupcake with cream cheese frosting. 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 with cream cheese frosting.

This recipe will teach anyone an efficient way to make and serve an excellent carrot cupcake with cream cheese frosting without a lot of hassle.

How Carrot Cupcake has Started

The standard and modern versions of carrot cake include carrots in the batter and the typical cream cheese frosting on top. Max Falkowitz acknowledged in his food article that carrot cake was first made during the Middle Ages when Europeans were short on sugar and sweeteners. They used carrots as a substitute for sugar. Carrot cupcakes were not called that way at first; people referred to them as carrot pudding. The meat was also among the many ingredients - shortening, cream, eggs, raisins, spices, and others.

Carrot cake became so popular that most people in Switzerland would even serve it on birthdays as their traditional cake. During World War II, carrot cake became a hit in the United States of America since it was one of the food typically rationed among the people.

Eventually, alterations to the original recipe were made, and the carrot cupcake that we know now had emerged from all those changes.

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.
• The taste is guaranteed to satisfy everyone.
• Children and adults will love carrot cupcakes with cream cheese frosting.
• These cupcakes are healthy and easy to make.
• Perfect for breakfast, snack or even dessert.

What's in This Recipe?

• 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.
• Sugar: I used white sugar in making these cupcakes. However, feel free to use 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 in making these cupcakes as it is healthier and help in making the cupcakes moist and soft.
• 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!

How to Make Carrot Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting?

1. Preheat the oven to 180C. Line 12 cups muffin pan with paper liner or grease with butter.
2. In a mixing bowl, whisk together sugar, eggs and vanilla extract until fluffy.
3. Add the oil and sour cream, whisk again.
4. Now, stir in flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and ground ginger.
5. Fold in walnuts and grated carrots, mix, then add the raisins and mix again.
6. Scoop the batter into the muffin cups and bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown.
7. Let the carrot muffins cool down before adding the frosting.

Making the cream cheese frosting:

1. In a mixing bowl, beat the heavy cream until thick and stiff peak forms.
2. Stir in the cream cheese and icing sugar until combined.
3. 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).

Top Tips!

• 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.

Recipe Variations

• 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.

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 any other dark coffee. Children can eat these cupcakes while drinking their fresh milk in the morning too!

Fresh orange juice is a common beverage paired with warm carrot cupcakes with cream cheese frosting at snack time.

Recipe FAQs

Would it be alright to sprinkle nuts for the frosting along with the cream cheese?

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.

How do I store these carrot cupcakes?

The cream cheese frosting spoils quickly, so keep these cupcakes in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days.

Can I freeze these carrot cupcakes?

Yes, you can. Put the carrot cupcake with the cream cheese frosting 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 Muffin Recipes

• Easy Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins
• Moist Lemon Blueberry Muffins With Lemon Glaze

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