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Preppy Kitchen

Easy Carrot Cake Cupcakes

Soft, moist carrot cake cupcakes packed with grated carrots, walnuts, and warm spices, topped with tangy cream cheese frosting. The stir-together batter comes together fast and bakes in under 30 minutes.

⏱ 40 min12Americancarrot cakecupcakesdessertbakingcream cheese frosting

Ingredients

For the cupcakes

  • 1¼ cupsall-purpose flour · 150g
  • 1 teaspoonbaking powder
  • 1 teaspoonbaking soda
  • ¾ teaspoonsalt
  • ¼ teaspoonground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoonground ginger
  • ¼ teaspoonground nutmeg
  • ¾ cupvegetable oil · 180 ml
  • ½ cupgranulated sugar · 100g
  • ⅓ cuplight brown sugar · packed, 67g
  • 2large eggs · room temperature
  • 1 teaspoonvanilla extract
  • ½ cupchopped walnuts · 60g
  • 2 cupsgrated carrots · about ½ pound of carrots/225g

For the cream cheese frosting

  • 1 blockcream cheese · 8-ounce/226g, room temperature
  • ½ cupunsalted butter · softened, 113g
  • 1 pinchsalt
  • 6 cupspowdered sugar · 720g
  • 1 teaspoonvanilla extract

Steps

  1. 1

    Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper cupcake liners.

  2. 2

    In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg.

  3. 3

    In a medium bowl, whisk together the oil, both sugars, eggs, and vanilla until well combined.

  4. 4

    Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and stir together with a spatula until almost combined. Add the carrots and walnuts and stir until well distributed and no flour streaks remain.

  5. 5

    Divide the batter among the cupcake liners, filling them about three-quarters full.

  6. 6

    Bake for 17 to 20 minutes, until the centers feel springy to the touch or a wooden toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool for a few minutes in the pan, then remove and finish cooling on a wire rack.

  7. 7

    In a large bowl with a hand mixer, or in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese, butter, and salt on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute.

  8. 8

    With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the powdered sugar. Once combined, scrape down the bowl, add the vanilla, and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 1 minute.

  9. 9

    Top the cooled cupcakes with frosting, spreading it on with a spatula or piping it from a piping bag fitted with a decorative tip.

  10. 10

    Store the cupcakes covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

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