Name: Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
Prep time: 10 min
Ingredients: 4 eggs; 2 cups sugar; 1 cup canola oil; 2 cups all-purpose flour; 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 1 teaspoon baking powder; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 3 cups grated carrots

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Guaranteed to be moist and delicious, this homemade from scratch Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting recipe is sure to be a winner!

homemade carrot cake cupcakes with cream cheese frosting

When I think of Spring, I think of bunnies, daffodils, and carrot cake! Carrot Cake is one of my favorite springtime desserts. It’s easy to make, is healthy (hey…it has carrots in it! ha!) and it’s topped with cream cheese frosting. What’s not to love?!

So, to make this classic cake a little more fun…I turned it into cupcakes! YUM! Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting are the perfect Easter dessert!

Homemade Carrot Cake Cupcakes Recipe

Making Carrot Cake Cupcakes isn’t hard at all! Don’t be afraid of this homemade from scratch cupcake recipe. It’s super easy to make! Basically, you mix all the ingredients together and bake. You’re then left with moist and delicious cupcakes that are ready to be frosted!

(PS – If you love the flavors in this recipe, try my Zucchini Carrot Bars with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting too!)

Before you start, you HAVE to use these THREE things:

Greaseproof Cupcake Liners:

Regency Wraps Greaseproof Baking Cups: Using the right cupcake liner makes all the difference in the world! With these sturdy liners, you don’t have to worry about them sticking to your cupcakes or coming apart after you’ve baked them. Trust me. I’ve used cheap liners and have regretted it!

Cupcake Pan:

Using the correct cupcake pan is a must! If you try to bake in a cupcake pan that is cheaply made, your cupcakes will be a flop! Invest in this affordable kitchen staple that you will use for years to come! This Wilton Cupcake Pan is my favorite!! I have several!

Stand Mixer:

Investing in a good kitchen mixer is the best thing I’ve ever done! I messed with cheap mixers for years and would get so frustrated! Having a good mixer is worth it’s weight in gold! Once you buy a good one, you won’t have again for a very long time!! This is the exact mixer I have and I LOVE it!!

Look at those beauties! Mmmmm! You could pretend they are Carrot Cake Muffins and leave off the frosting to make them seem healthier. BUT, I strongly suggest you just go for it and add the Cream Cheese Frosting! Haha! It’s so good!!

Ingredients

See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.

Eggs – Let the eggs sit on the counter and come to room temperature; this helps you get fluffier carrot cake cupcakes!
Sugar
Canola oil
All-purpose flour
Ground cinnamon
Baking soda
Baking powder
Salt
Grated carrots – I recommend using your food processor to grate the carrots.
Cream cheese frosting – Use my homemade cream cheese frosting, your own favorite recipe, or buy a can at the store.

How to Make Carrot Cake Cupcakes

1. Prepare

Preheat your oven to 350ºF and line a muffin pan with paper muffin cups.

2. Combine the Dry Ingredients

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

3. Add the Remaining Ingredients

In another bowl, beat the eggs, sugar, and oil. Pour the dry ingredients into the bowl with the wet ingredients and stir in the carrots.

4. Bake

Fill the muffin tin cups two-thirds of the way full with the batter. Bake the cupcakes for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

5. Cool and Decorate

Cool the cupcakes for 10 minutes in the pan, then transfer them to wire racks to finish cooling. Frost with cream cheese frosting, then top with fondant carrots, walnuts, or cake crumbs from one of the carrot cupcakes.

a bite taken out of a homemake carrot cake cupcake with cream cheese frosting

How to Store Carrot Cake Cupcakes

Place your carrot cake cupcakes in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. You can also freeze carrot cupcakes for up to 3 months; place them on a baking sheet and put them in the freezer, then once the frosting is frozen solid, transfer the cupcakes to a storage container and return them to the freezer. Let them thaw in the refrigerator before serving.

FAQ

What kind of frosting is best for carrot cake cupcakes?

Cream cheese frosting is the classic choice, but you can use a vanilla buttercream or even chocolate frosting for something different!

Are raisins good in carrot cake cupcakes?

If you like your carrot cake with raisins, you can definitely add some to the batter in this recipe!

Do carrot cupcakes taste like carrots?

No, these don’t taste like carrots! The frosting and spices are the most prominent flavors in this carrot cake cupcake recipe.