I'm on the Easter countdown this week and these carrot cake cupcakes are definitely making the cut. I love these cupcakes because they are even better the day after you make them. That way you can make them on Saturday and not have to worry about being late for church... Win, win! Let's be honest though, the cream cheese frosting definitely steals the show.
Carrot Cake Cupcakes
1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon allspice
¾ teaspoon Baking soda
½ teaspoon Baking powder
¼ teaspoon Salt
½ cup vegetable oil
¾ cup Sugar
⅓ cup brown sugar packed
2 large Eggs
1 teaspoon Vanilla
1 ½ cups finely grated carrots - I use the small side of a grater
2 tablespoons milk
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin pan with cupcake papers.
In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, cinnamon, allspice, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In a large bowl beat together the oil, sugars, eggs and vanilla. Then mix in the shredded carrots. With the mixer on low speed beat the dry ingredients into the oil mixture. Next, add in the milk and mix until incorporated. Spoon the batter into each cupcake cup, filling each about ⅔ to ¾ full. Bake for 16-18 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
Cream Cheese Frosting
2 8 ounce packages cream cheese room temperature
1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
4 cups confectioner's sugar
In the bowl of a stand mixer, with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the butter and vanilla extract and beat until well combined.
Add the confectioners’ sugar and beat until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a few minutes to thicken if piping.
Candy Carrots
orange candy melts
green candy melts
¼ cup finely chopped pecans to top icing
Line a baking sheet with wax paper. Melt the green candy melts first according to the package instructions and then transfer them to a plastic bag or piping bag. Cut off the tip and pipe the greens of each carrot. Melt the orange candy melts according to the package instructions and transfer to a plastic bag or piping bag. Cut off the tip and pipe the shape of a carrot overlapping the bottom of each green stem with the top of the carrot so that they stick together. Set carrots aside until the candy melts have fully hardened and then carefully release each carrot from the baking sheet. Once the cupcakes have cooled completely, add a generous swirl of cream cheese frosting, a sprinkle of pecans, and one of the candy carrots.
Refrigerate them in an air tight container for up to 4 days.
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Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Yield: 12 cupcakes 1x
Ingredients
Carrot Cake Cupcakes
- 1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- ¾ teaspoon Baking soda
- ½ teaspoon Baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ¾ cup Sugar
- ⅓ cup brown sugar (packed)
- 2 large Eggs
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla
- 1 ½ cups finely grated carrots
- 2 tablespoons milk
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 2 8 ounce packages cream cheese (room temperature)
- 1 cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 4 cups confectioner's sugar
Candy Carrots
- orange candy melts
- green candy melts
- ¼ cup finely chopped pecans (to top icing)
Instructions
Carrot Cake Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin pan with cupcake papers.
- In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, cinnamon, allspice, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
- In a large bowl beat together the oil, sugars, eggs and vanilla. Then mix in the shredded carrots.
- With the mixer on low speed beat the dry ingredients into the oil mixture. Next, add in the milk and mix until incorporated.
- Spoon the batter into each cupcake cup, filling each about ⅔ to ¾ full. Bake for 16-18 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
Cream Cheese Icing
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese until smooth.
- Add the butter and vanilla extract and beat until well combined.
- Add the confectioners’ sugar and beat until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a few minutes to thicken if piping.
Candy Carrots
- Line a baking sheet with wax paper. Melt the green candy melts first according to the package instructions and then transfer them to a plastic bag or piping bag. Cut off the tip and pipe the greens of each carrot.
- Melt the orange candy melts according to the package instructions and transfer to a plastic bag or piping bag. Cut off the tip and pipe the shape of a carrot overlapping the bottom of each green stem with the top of the carrot so that they stick together.
- Set carrots aside until the candy melts have fully hardened and then carefully release each carrot from the baking sheet.
- Once the cupcakes have cooled completely, add a generous swirl of cream cheese frosting, a sprinkle of pecans, and one of the candy carrots.
