Carrot Cake Cupcakes

5 from 4 votes

Carrot Cake Cupcakes are super moist with the addition of finely diced carrots and applesauce. The cream cheese frosting is the perfect topper for these little springtime (or any time!) delights!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword carrot cake cupcakes, cream cheese frosting

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 20

Total Time 40

Servings cupcakes

Calories 363kcal

Author Sue Ringsdorf

Ingredients

Cupcake Wet Ingredients:

1 cup canola oil
1/2 cup applesauce
3 large eggs - at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla

Dry Ingredients:

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ cups brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
2 ½ cups grated carrots - or chop them finely, by hand

For the cream cheese frosting:

6 oz. cream cheese - softened to room temp
1/3 cup unsalted butter - softened to room temp
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 ¼ cups powdered sugar

Instructions

For the carrot cake cupcakes:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a 12 cup muffin tin with muffin liners.
Add all the wet ingredients to a medium bowl - the canola oil, applesauce, eggs, and vanilla. Mix well.
1 cup canola oil, 1/2 cup applesauce, 3 large eggs, 2 teaspoons vanilla
Add all the dry ingredients to another medium bowl - the flour, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Mix well, and add to the wet ingredients. Stir to combine.
3 cups all-purpose flour, 1 ½ cups brown sugar, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ginger, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
Gently fold the carrots into the batter.
2 ½ cups grated carrots
Scoop batter into cupcake tins, filling to about 3/4 full. Bake for approximately 18-20 minutes, or until done in the center. Remove cupcakes to cooling rack.

For the cream cheese frosting:

In a medium bowl, use hand mixer (or large standing mixer) to whip cream cheese and butter. Add in powdered sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon, and whip for two minutes, or until creamy. (Add a couple drops of milk if the frosting is too thick.)
6 oz. cream cheese, 1/3 cup unsalted butter, 2 ¼ cups powdered sugar, 2 teaspoons vanilla, 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Pipe frosting on top of cupcakes. Sprinkle with additional cinnamon, if desired.

Video

Notes

Storing: These cupcakes are fine on the counter for a day or so, but for best results, store them in the refrigerator and set them out a few hours before you want to eat them.
Freezing: Freeze these cupcakes prior to adding frosting. Just place them in freezer bags to freeze for up to three months. Set them out on the counter for a couple of hours to thaw out. Then add frosting.

Nutrition