Love Carrot Cake? These delicious Carrot Cake Cupcakes are the best handheld version of the classic dessert. Covered in rich cream cheese frosting, these moist cupcakes are made for sharing.
When spring time rolls around, I start to crave all things Carrot Cake. Especially with a thick later of Cream Cheese Frosting!
Why this Recipe Works
The search for the tastiest ever carrot cake cupcakes is over. These single serving treats check all the boxes. Here are a few reasons these are the absolute BEST!
- Sweet carrot flavor. Using freshly shredded carrots makes all the difference!
- Super moist. These cupcakes stay soft and moist–even after storing.
- Hint of cinnamon. A pinch of cinnamon spice compliments the sweet cupcakes beautifully.
- Cream cheese frosting. This cream cheese frosting is full of fragrant vanilla and tangy cream cheese.
I love these carrot cupcakes all year long. But they’re especially wonderful for Easter! Easy to make, transport and share with friends.
Try our carrot cake muffins for another tasty holiday treat. Or give our easy carrot cake whoopie pies a try for a delicious on-the-go dessert.
Ingredient Notes
- Carrots. Buy whole carrots and shred them yourself at home for best results! Store bought shredded carrots don’t contain as much moisture and can make cupcakes taste drier.
- Vegetable oil. Make sure to use a vegetable oil with a mild flavor. (Do not use olive oil or peanut oil here!) The oil keeps the cupcakes extra moist, for days!
- Vanilla. Try these with my How to Make Vanilla Extract if you have time to plan ahead!
- Cream Cheese. When making frosting, use the blocks of full fat cream cheese here!
- Pecans. Learn how to toast pecans in minutes with our simple method. Provides great flavor in the cake!
Tips and Tricks
- Use a stand mixer or beaters. An electric mixer is the easiest (and fastest) way to make fluffy spreadable cream cheese frosting.
- Fill cupcake liners 2/3 of the way. Avoid overfilling the cupcake tins. These cupcakes don’t dome up on top as much as traditional chocolate cupcakes. The heaviness from the carrots keeps them flatter. Still delicious but much easier to frost.
- These can be made with or without nuts. Simply omit the chopped pecans from the batter for a nut free carrot cupcake.
- Love carrot cake? Use our recipe to make a traditional layer cake, or make carrot sheet cake!
- Cookies. Try our carrot cake cookies for the same great flavor in a chewy cookie!
- Frosting. Swap out the cream cheese icing for our easy sour cream frosting recipe.
Recipe FAQs
Feel free to make these nut free by keeping the nuts out of the batter.
Yes, because of the cream cheese frosting you should store these in the refrigerator. Place them in an airtight container and keep chilled until 1 -2 hours before serving.
Carrot Cupcakes freeze beautifully! Place cooled unfrosted cupcakes in freezer bags and store for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight and top with freshly made cream cheese frosting before serving.
More Cupcake Recipes
- Watermelon Cupcakes: not only are they delicious, but they’re cute too! Perfect for summer or a bake sale!
- Pink Lemonade Cupcakes: if you’re going to make cupcakes, you must make them cute!
- Chocolate Butterfinger Cupcakes: chocolate cupcakes with a creamy Butterfinger frosting. Doesn’t get much better than this!
- Yellow Cupcake Recipe
- Hummingbird cupcakes
- Red Velvet Cupcakes
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Carrot Cake Cupcakes
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes:
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 large eggs
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 3 cups grated carrots or finely shredded
- 1 cup chopped pecans
For the Frosting:
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 2 packages cream cheese, softened 8 ounce each
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- 4 ½ cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degree F. Line cupcake tin with paper liners. Set aside.
- Mix sugar, oil, vanilla, and eggs. Add flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Beat for 2 minutes until fully combined and fluffy.
- Fold in carrots and chopped nuts.
- Fill cupcake tins 2/3 full. Bake for 20-22 minutes. Remove and cool completely before frosting.
- For the frosting, cream together butter and cream cheese (about 3 minutes). Add vanilla and powdered sugar, beat well. Use an open tip to pipe onto cupcakes.
Notes
- Carrots. You can grate carrots for carrot cake using either a box grater or a food processor. Make sure to start with washed, peeled carrots. If using a box grater, place the carrot against the side of the grater and run the carrot downward to grate. When you use a food processor, use the grating attachment. You want the pieces very fine without turning into a puree.
- Use a stand mixer or beaters. An electric mixer is the easiest (and fastest) way to make fluffy spreadable cream cheese frosting.
- Fill cupcake liners 2/3 of the way. Avoid overfilling the cupcake tins. These cupcakes don't dome up on top as much as traditional chocolate cupcakes. The heaviness from the carrots keeps them flatter. Still delicious but much easier to frost.
- These can be made with or without nuts. Simply omit the nuts from the batter.
- Store. Frosted cupcakes should be stored in airtight container in the refrigerator, for up to 5 days.
Nutrition
Everyone who loves carrot cake FLIPS for these carrot cupcakes! You’ll love the extra moist crumb and the crunch of pecans in every bite.
These were a huge hit with my kids and their friends! he frosting is amazing.
Ugh, these cupcakes are so delicious!! It’s so hard not to eat them all!!
I cannot see the recipe for the carrot cake.
Has anyone made these cupcakes and cut back on the sugar? I know it makes 30 cupcakes, but 2 cups of sugar is quiet a lot. Thanks
I made them, agree much too much sugar, they were far too sweet,
Looks delicious and attractive, how can you have so many great ideas.
Hello, I’m so happy I found you blog on internet. These delicious cupcakes (I love cupcakes) and that wonderful carrot cake cheesecake cake, I’ll be busy cooking this week-end lol. Thank you for having me , keep on cooking lol.
Gail
These look YUMMY! My daughter loves carrot cake! I’ll be making these for her birthday next week! I’d like to add some pecans or walnuts into the batter. How much could I add?
Thank you!
Depends on how “nutty” you want the batter! I would suggest after making the batter, fold in about 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts. Stir…eyeball it, and decide if you want more 🙂 ENJOY!
Haha, I can’t imagine trying to work at Starbuck’s! It’s probably a good thing we don’t have one close by. I love how moist carrot cake is — definitely have to try these!
Can you add raisins instead of nuts?
Sure can!
These cupckes look yummy!!!
I am with you. I’ve tried to work at Starbucks twice and I can’t do it. I also like to people watch and it just cracks me up. These cupcakes look so good. I wish I had one right now to munch on with my coffee. If I’m ever in IL we need to meet up at Starbucks and stuff our face with coffee and sweets and of course gossip. 😉
These carrot cake cupcakes are PERFECT, Aimee! LOVE the pecan on top. 🙂
Totally with you. Starbucks is for people watching, not working!
These cupcakes are AMAZING. I love that giant dollop of frosting!
I can not work with a bunch of distractions! I would be like you, just people watching the whole time! These cupcakes look delicious and I love your wood cupcake stand! So cute!
I am the same way! I always end up people watching! These cupcakes look perfect!
I totally want these! They look so beautiful and so delish!!!! Mmm 🙂
These cupcakes look absolutely perfect Aimee! And – your site! I love it!
Thank you Trish!!
These look amazing, Aimee — carrot cake is one of my all time favorites. 🙂 And I love your new site design — it’s just beautiful!
Thanks Marcie 🙂
I need to know your tricks for staying focused at home. I am right now thinking about dishes and laundry and walking the puppy. Not good for productiviity that’s for sure. I love these cupcakes and the pic with your nails and matching straws! So fun!
Aimee, I’m totally distracted at Starbucks too! For this reason I carry a pkg. of foam earplugs with me at all times…and even then, I have bionic ears. Just nosy I guess. (Hey at least I’m not window peeping.)These are the cutest little carrot cupcakes EVER. And I know they taste fabulous. Might have to sneak one into Starbucks to have with my vanilla chai. Have a FABULOUS weekend!