Easy Carrot Cake Cupcakes

The easiest to make fluffy and moist carrot cake cupcakes come together in one bowl with a homemade, aromatic spice cake base. Filled with freshly grated carrots and topped generously with swirls of velvety cream cheese frosting, carrot cupcakes are decorated simply with toasted coconut and Robin Eggs candies.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword Carrot Cake Cupcakes

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 25

Total Time 45

Servings cupcakes

Calories 304kcal

Author Cathy Pollak

Equipment

Ingredients

Carrot Cake Cupcakes:

1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp table salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
3/4 cup canola oil or other vegetable oil
2 large eggs, beaten, room temperature
2 tsps. vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups peeled and grated on the large holes of a box grater, about 2-3 medium carrots
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Cream Cheese Frosting:

6 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1/8 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
3-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

Toppings:

1 cup shredded, sweetened coconut
36 Robin Eggs, 3 per cupcake

Instructions

Carrot Cake Cupcakes:

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Add cupcake liners to a cupcake baking pan.
In a large bowl add all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Mix with a wooden spoon or stand mixer on low, until fully incorporated. (Use a fork if you need to break down the brown sugar so it incorporates if you are mixing by hand.)
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup light brown sugar, 1 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp table salt, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ground ginger, 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
To the bowl add canola oil, beaten eggs and vanilla extract. Mix until fully incorporated, but be sure not to overmix the batter. Fold in carrots and chopped pecans.
3/4 cup canola oil, 2 large eggs, beaten, room temperature, 2 tsps. vanilla extract, 1-1/2 cups peeled and grated on the large holes of a box grater, about 2-3 medium carrots, 1/2 cup chopped pecans
Distribute batter into cupcake liners, 2/3 of the way up.
Bake for 21-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with just a little bit of cooked batter on it. (You do not want a completely clean toothpick. You are looking for a golden top and when pressed will be springy.)
Remove cupcakes from oven and remove individual cupcakes from the pan, placing on a cooling rack until completely cool.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

In a large bowl, slowly beat together cream cheese, whipping cream and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy. Add confectioners' sugar and begin beating on low speed until light and airy.
6 oz. cream cheese, room temperature, 1/8 cup heavy whipping cream, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 3-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
You can frost the cupcakes by spooning the icing on top or use a piping bag with the frosting tip of your choice.

Toppings:

Preheat the oven to 325° F.
Spread the shredded coconut in a thin layer onto a large baking sheet. Bake for 5-10 minutes. Stir every few minutes to make sure the flakes toast evenly and not burn.
When the coconut is toasted to your liking, move to a bowl to cool and stop the cooking process.
1 cup shredded, sweetened coconut
Gently dip each frosted cupcake into the toasted coconut flakes and place three Robin Egg candies on top of each cupcake.
36 Robin Eggs, 3 per cupcake
Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Notes

Carrots: Make sure to use freshly grated carrots, not the pre-shredded ones you'll find in the produce section. See the recipe post above for the reason why.

Make-Ahead: You can make the cupcakes a day ahead and frost them the day you're serving.

Frosting: Cupcakes can be frosted with a spoon or knife or a piping bag and tip. The recipe post also has links to different frostings you can use, if you prefer something different.

For optimal outcomes when preparing these carrot cake cupcakes, it's recommended to refer to the recipe details within the post. The recipe post commonly includes valuable notes, expert tips and frequently asked questions, that are not presented in the recipe card, often including how to make this recipe dairy-free, gluten free or vegan and ideas for healthy ingredient substitutions or variations

The provided nutrition information is merely an approximation, as variations can arise depending on the specific ingredients/brands you select.

Nutrition