Carrot Cake Cupcakes with cream cheese frosting sprinkled with pecans. Lightly spiced, moist and delicious. Classic recipe from scratch!
This truly is the best carrot cake recipe and one of my favorite desserts.
Not overly sweet – a perfect blend of spices, moist carrot cake cupcakes, deliciously topped with tangy cream cheese frosting and a sprinkle of finely chopped pecans.
You’ll be amazed at the flavor when just a few simple ingredients come together.
This easy Carrot Cake recipe makes a great Easter dessert that also pairs well with morning coffee without judgement.
This is an easy carrot cake recipe in cupcake form from simple grocery store ingredients.
This delicious cake is lightly sweet, blending perfectly with the tangy homemade cream cheese frosting.
Unsweetened applesauce brings moisture to the cake. The sprinkle of finely chopped pecans adds a delicious nutty finish.
TIPS FOR THE BEST CARROT CAKE CUPCAKES:
- Use room temperature ingredients (butter and cream cheese)
- Blend batter ingredients by hand. Using an electric mixer may make the cupcakes dense.
- Stir batter ingredients just until combined without overmixing.
what’s in Carrot Cake Cupcakes?
THE CUPCAKES:
- all purpose flour
- baking soda
- salt
- ground cinnamon
- vegetable oil
- light brown sugar
- large eggs
- unsweetened applesauce
- vanilla
- finely shredded carrots
CREAM CHEESE FROSTING RECIPE:
- cream cheese
- butter softened
- vanilla extract
- confectioners’ sugar (powdered sugar)
- finely chopped pecans
HOW TO MAKE CARROT CAKE CUPCAKES:
The Batter:
Preheat the oven to 350°.
Using a vegetable peeler, remove the outer layer of the carrots then grate on a box grater using the finest holes and set aside.
In a small bowl whisk the dry ingredients together: flour, baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon salt and cinnamon then set aside.
In a medium bowl blend by hand the vegetable oil, brown sugar, eggs, applesauce, vanilla and grated carrots.
Gradually fold the flour mixture into the wet mixture stirring just until it’s combined without overmixing.
Grease a muffin tin or line with papers then divide the cake batter into the prepared pans.
Bake 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean then cool completely on a wire rack.
The Frosting:
For easiest mixing, bring the butter and cream cheese to room temperature.
For the best cream cheese frosting, combine the frosting ingredients in a bowl using a hand mixer on low speed.
Frost each cupcake with cream cheese frosting then sprinkle with the finely chopped pecans.
HOW TO STORE CUPCAKES:
Store leftover cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 4 days.
VARIATIONS:
This is a recipe is for classic Carrot Cake Cupcakes with a rich cream cheese frosting.
Change up the recipe by adding any of the following ingredients:
- mandarin oranges
- crushed (drained well) pineapple
- raisins
- chopped nuts in the batter
LOOKING FOR MORE delicious desserts?
Dessert Charcuterie Board
Easy Apple Strudel
Ice Cream Cake
No Bake Cheesecake Jars
Enjoy!
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Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
Dry cupcake ingredients:
- 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Wet cupcake ingredients:
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup light brown sugar firmly packed
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 1/2 cups finely shredded carrots approx. 3 large carrots
The frosting:
- 8 ounce cream cheese brick softened to room temperature
- 1/2 stick butter softened to room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup finely chopped pecans
Instructions
The Cupcakes:
- Preheat the oven to 350°.
- Using a vegetable peeler, remove the outer layer from the carrot then shred using the finest holes on a box grater.
- In a small bowl whisk the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon then set aside.
- In a medium bowl blend by hand the vegetable oil, brown sugar, eggs, unsweetened applesauce, vanilla and grated carrots. NOTE: using a mixer will make the cupcakes dense.
- Gradually fold the flour mixture into the wet mixture just until it’s combined without overmixing.
- Grease a muffin tin OR line with papers then divide the batter between them about 2/3 of the way up each. Bake 18-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool completely.
The Frosting:
- Using a hand mixer, combine the frosting ingredients (be sure the butter and cream cheese are room temp).
- Frost the cupcakes and sprinkle with finely chopped pecans.
Ray says
Light, moist and great taste. Cream cheese frosting is nice.
Bernie says
Thanks Ray! Good from morning coffee to evening dessert 🙂