Carrot Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Icing
“Moist, soft and fluffy carrot cupcakes made with freshly grated carrots and topped with cream cheese icing and nuts; an absolute hit as grab-and-go snack.”
These carrot cupcakes are soft and fluffy but not as sweet as the store-bought cupcakes. They’re loaded with grated carrots and walnuts that added nutritional value in this cupcake. The sweet and tangy cream cheese icing perfectly complements the mild taste of the cupcake.
This recipe is so easy to make and doesn’t require a mixer. All you need are two bowls, one for the dry ingredients and one for the wet ingredients. Then the two are mixed together and you’re done, it’s as simple as that! Grating the fresh carrots maybe the only time consuming part of this recipe. If you’ve got a food processor, this will also be a piece of cake.
You can make this recipe as a cake but I preferred to make them as cupcakes as they can be easily transported, shared and look lovely too.
Tips for making carrot cake cupcakes
If you have a food processor, it is recommended to use the grate setting to prepare your carrots. It will really save you the time and energy. If you don’t have a food processor, you can use a hand grater to grate your carrots.
I use oil in this recipe (no butter) to make moist cupcakes. Butter just didn’t give these cupcakes the texture that they really needed.
I used both white sugar and brown sugar but it’s totally up to you to use one or the other. Brown sugar gives a deeper color of brown when use while white sugar balances the color.
This recipe includes walnuts, pecan nuts and raisins but you can make this recipe with or without them. However, I recommend using them to make more nutritious and flavorful cupcakes.
When making the cream cheese icing, make sure that the butter and cream cheese are at room temperature to prevent lumps and beat the ingredients together until creamy smooth. You can check my Cream Cheese Icing recipe for more details. The icing recipe makes enough so you can pipe lovely twirls on the cupcakes.
Share these carrot cupcakes as snack with family and friends or bring it during potluck and enjoy. Happy tummy!
Carrot Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Icing Recipe
Equipment
- Big and medium bowl
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Grater or food processor (if available)
- Cupcake liners
- Cupcake pan
- Piping bag or spreader
Ingredients
For cupcakes:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 and ½ teaspoons cinnamon powder
- 1 cup canola oil or vegetable oil
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ¾ cup white sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla essence/ extract
- 4 large eggs
- 3 cups grated carrots — around 3-4 large carrots
- 1 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
- ¼ cup raisins
For cream cheese icing:
- 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- 6 tablespoons butter,room temperature
- 1 and ½ cups confectioners’ sugar or powdered/ icing sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla essence/ extract
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup pecan nuts, coarsely chopped — for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Make the cupcakes. Preheat the oven to 350 °F/ 180 °C.
- In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon powder until well incorporated. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, beat oil, brown and white sugars and vanilla. Mix well. Whisk in eggs one at a time, until well combined.
- Using a rubber spatula, slowly add the flour mixture in 3 parts to avoid lumps. Blend well in every addition until batter becomes smooth.
- Stir in carrots, walnuts and raisins and mix thoroughly until combined.
- Scoop the batter into pre-lined cupcake pans, about 3/4 of the way full because it will rise as it bakes.
- Bake for 15- 20 minutes until lightly brown or when toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Make the Cream cheese Icing. In a medium mixing bowl using an electric hand mixer, combine cream cheese and butter and beat together on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy.
- Slowly add the powdered sugar and beat until smooth. Scrape sides and mix well to incorporate. While beating continuously, add the vanilla essence and the salt. Whip until all ingredients are all combined and have a smooth consistency.
- Let the cupcakes completely cool before topping them. Use a piping bag and pipe cream cheese icing on top and sprinkle with additional chopped pecan nuts/ some raisins, if desired. Share and enjoy!
Video
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