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Easter is right around the corner, so these Carrot Cake Cupcakes are a great dessert to share with family and friends.
Cupcakes are one of my favorite desserts to make. Spring and Easter time is the perfect time of year to make carrot cake. These Carrot Cake Cupcakes with a buttercream frosting are the perfect springtime dessert.
How to make Carrot Cake Cupcakes:
Starting with ingredients you probably already have in your pantry or cupboards measure our your ingredients and mix the dry and wet ones separately. Then mix together and fill your cupcake liners. While these are baking prepare and make your frosting. Fill a piping bag for a more professional looking frosting, and you are good to go!
Ingredients:
Cupcakes:
- All Purpose Flour
- Baking Powder
- Cinnamon
- Ground Ginger
- Nutmeg
- Salt
- Eggs
- Sugar
- Unsalted Butter, (melted)
- Vanilla Extract
- Shredded Carrots
- Chopped Walnuts, (plus more for topping)
Directions:
Step One – Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a muffin tin by lining with cupcake liners.
Step Two – Sift flour, baking powder, spices, and salt together, then set aside.
Step Three – Using an electric mixer, beat the eggs and sugar for 1-2 minutes until eggs are light yellow. While still mixing very slowly pour in the melted butter and vanilla.
Step Four – Mix in carrots till smooth.
Step Five – Slowly mix in the dry ingredients. Adding in a little at a time, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. Continue until all ingredients are well combined. Then fold in the walnuts.
Recipe Tip
If you do not like walnuts, you can omit them.
Step Six – Spoon cupcake batter into the prepared muffin tin. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until cupcakes are cooked through and a toothpick can come out clean. Cool completely on a rack before frosting.
How to make Cupcake Frosting:
Mix your ingredients together until the frosting is fluffy and light. Use a piping bag to frost the cooled cupcakes.
Frosting Ingredients:
- Cream Cheese – softened for easy mixing.
- Salted Butter – also softened for easy mixing.
- Vanilla Extract – adds the flavor to the frosting.
- Confectioners Sugar – the key ingredient to making a good frosting.
Frosting Directions:
Step Seven – With an electric mixer cream together the cream cheese and softened butter.
Recipe Tip
If you do not have salted butter for the frosting add a pinch of salt to help cut the sweetness.
Once combined add the vanilla and powdered sugar a little at a time.
Mix until smooth. Pipe frosting onto cooled cupcakes.
Step Eight – Sprinkle cupcakes with walnuts.
Tips for making a great cupcake:
- Use room temperature ingredients: Room temperature ingredients will not cause any drastic temperature changes to your batter when mixing. Yes, you need to melt the butter, but allow it to cool to room temperature before you mix it in with the ingredients.
- Make sure to use accurate measurements: If you do not measure accurately and use a heaping “cup” of flour you will have too much and your cupcakes will be dense and/or dry. One thing about this recipe is it is very simple to make but does need to be precise. Making a fluffy, moist cupcake is tough for a lot of people (including me), and using accurate measurements definitely helps!
- Allow to cool before icing: This may sound like a no-brainer, but icing these cupcakes that are still even a little warm will melt your frosting and make the frosting look runny. part of the appeal and deliciousness of cupcakes is how the frosting looks. Having beautiful frosting will make your mouth water before even tasting them!
Try some of my other cupcake recipes:
Funfetti Cupcakes – These Homemade Funfetti Cupcakes are a super light, fluffy, and beautifully flavored with vanilla colored with decadent sprinkles. Topped with an amazing buttercream frosting these cupcakes are better than any box mix you can find!
Vanilla Cupcakes – The most perfect Vanilla Cupcakes. It’s so simple to make with a light cupcake made with your everyday pantry staples and a buttercream frosting that can’t be beat.
Chocolate Cupcakes – These Chocolate Cupcakes are super moist and rich made with ingredients you already have in your pantry! These super simple cupcakes are topped with an amazing homemade Chocolate Buttercream Frosting.
If you tried any of my recipes I would love to hear from you, leave me a comment below. You can also connect with me on FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, and PINTEREST. I would love for you to follow along and discover more amazing recipes.
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Carrot Cake Cupcakes
Ingredients
Cupcakes:
- 1 1/2 Cups All Purpose Flour
- 1 1/2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
- 1 Teaspoon Cinnamon
- 3/4 Teaspoon Ground Ginger
- 1/4 Teaspoon Nutmeg
- 1/4 Teaspoon Salt
- 2 Eggs
- 2/3 Cup Sugar
- 3/4 Cup Unsalted Butter, (melted)
- 2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
- 1 1/2 Cups Shredded Carrots
- 1/2 Cup Chopped Walnuts, (plus more for topping)
Frosting:
- 8 Ounces Cream Cheese, (softened)
- 1/2 Cup Salted Butter, (softened)
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 3 Cups Confectioners Sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a muffin tin by lining with cupcake liners.
- Sift flour, baking powder, spices, and salt together, then set aside.
- Using an electric mixer, beat the eggs and sugar for 1-2 minutes until eggs are light yellow. While still mixing very slowly pour in the melted butter and vanilla.
- Mix in carrots till smooth.
- Slowly mix in the dry ingredients. Adding in a little at a time, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. Continue until all ingredients are well combined. Then fold in the walnuts.
- Spoon cupcake batter into the prepared muffin tin. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until cupcakes are cooked through and a toothpick can come out clean. Cool completely on a rack before frosting.
- With an electric mixer cream together the cream cheese and softened butter. Once combined add the vanilla and powdered sugar a little at a time. Mix until smooth. Pipe frosting onto cooled cupcakes.
- Sprinkle cupcakes with walnuts.
