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Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting
4.9 from 21 votes

Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting

These soft, moist, tender cupcakes are the BEST carrot cake cupcakes I’ve ever had!! They’re fast and easy to make, and come together in minutes! 

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Cooling Time
1 hr
Total Time
1 hr 30 mins
Servings: 12
Calories: 379 kcal
Course: Cake
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Cupcakes
  • 2 egg large
  • ½ cup canola oil or vegetable oil
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup light brown sugar packed
  • ¼ cup sour cream or thick Greek yogurt
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon allspice
  • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon cloves ground
  • pinch salt optional and to taste
  • 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 ½ cups carrot 2 to 3 medium/large carrots, peeled, coarsely grated
  • ½ cup raisins optional
  • ½ cup nuts optional
Frosting
  • ½ cup cream cheese 4 ounces, light is okay, softened
  • ¼ cup butter softened, unsalted
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 ½ cups confectioners’ sugar more or less as desired

Instructions

For the Cupcakes:
    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat oven to 350F. Spray a 12-count muffin pan very well with floured cooking spray or use liners (Cosmetically, I prefer avoiding the ripples and ridges that liners produce).
  2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the first 11 ingredients (through optional salt) until combined.
  3. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and stir until just combined, don’t overmix.
  4. Fold in the carrots, optional raisins and nuts.
  5. Turn batter out into prepared pan. Fill each muffin cavity between 2/3 and 3/4-full. Do not exceed 3/4-full because they will overflow. You may have batter remaining for a 13th (or 14th) cupcake and it’s better to either discard it or bake it in another pan even though it’s a pain for just 1 cupcake. I have overfilled, and then overflown, trying to make it all work in one pan.
  6. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until cupcakes are domed, set, springy to the touch, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, but no batter.
  7. Allow cupcakes to cool in pan for about 15 minutes before removing and turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
  8. While cupcakes cool, make the frosting.
For the Frosting:
  1. With an electric mixer, beat together first three ingredients on high power until combined and light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
  2. Slowly add the confectioners’ sugar and beat to incorporate. Play with sugar ratio based on desired frosting consistency. If you accidentally add too much sugar, add a bit more cream cheese to thin it out.
  3. Frost the cooled cupcakes. I spoon on about 2 tablespoons frosting per cupcake. Pipe it with a piping bag if desired. If you have extra frosting, it will keep airtight in the refrigerator for many weeks.

Notes

  • Note about the carrots – I use a box grater on the coarsest blade and it takes less than 2 minutes to grate them. I prefer the consistency of doing it by hand rather than using a food processor. Don’t use bagged, pre-shredded carrots from the grocery store; grate them yourself.
  • Frosted cupcakes will keep airtight in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Unfrosted cupcakes will keep airtight at room temperature for up to 1 week, or frozen for up to 3 months.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1 Calories 379kcal (19%) Carbohydrates 49g (16%) Protein 6g (12%) Fat 18g (28%) Saturated Fat 5g (25%) Polyunsaturated Fat 13g (76%) Cholesterol 46mg (15%) Sodium 159mg (7%) Fiber 2g (8%) Sugar 35g (70%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 12 Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 379

% Daily Value*

Serving 1
Calories 379kcal 19%
Carbohydrates 49g 16%
Protein 6g 12%
Fat 18g 28%
Saturated Fat 5g 25%
Polyunsaturated Fat 13g 76%
Cholesterol 46mg 15%
Sodium 159mg 7%
Fiber 2g 8%
Sugar 35g 70%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.