Soft, fluffy, and moist carrot cake cupcakes! Made completely from scratch with real grated carrots and the option to add nuts or raisins, these cupcakes are always a hit! Make sure to top them off with the absolute best cream cheese frosting.
Carrot Cake Cupcakes will forever be my favorite way to get my daily serving of vegetables. Give me a cupcake and a zucchini muffin for each hand and I’ve got the bottom of the food pyramid covered.
Alright, maybe carrot cake cupcakes aren’t the best way to get your daily vegetables, but it’s definitely the tastiest, especially when topped off with a very generous swirl of cream cheese frosting. They’re soft, moist, and cheerfully fluffy, these cupcakes taste like springtime and sunny weather (which I could really, really use right now!).
These carrot cake cupcakes are a modified version of my favorite carrot cake. The recipe is almost identical to the cake portion except for a bit more liquid in the batter — the original is perfect for cake but I found it to be too dense in the small space of a cupcake liner and added some milk for a bit of levity.
I use all oil in this recipe (no butter) for the moistest (sorry if you hate that word, if you have a better substitute I’m happy to hear it!) cupcakes, and thanks to the spices you’re not missing anything in terms of flavor, I promise! I found that butter just didn’t give these cupcakes the texture that they really needed.
I have a few tips on how to make your own carrot cake cupcakes turn out perfectly, so let’s get into that!
Tips for Making Carrot Cake Cupcakes
- I recommend using the grate setting on your food processor to prepare your carrots, and then briefly pulsing them in your food processor for fine shreds of carrot. I feel like just grating them leaves carrot pieces that are too big, but don’t overdo it when you pulse or you’ll have carrot juice and it will impart way too much carrot flavor into your cupcakes!
- If you don’t have a food processor, you can use a hand grater to grate your carrots.
- While I didn’t use them for my carrot cake cupcakes, you can add walnuts, pecans, or raisins (why, though!) to this recipe, if you’d like. This batter can hold about 1/2-1 cup of add-ins.
- This recipe can be doubled to make 24 cupcakes.
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How Do You Make Carrot Cake Cupcakes
Carrot Cake Cupcakes
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (157g)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar (100g)
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar packed (100g)
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 3/4 cups canola oil (180ml)
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 Tablespoons milk
- 1 1/2 cups grated carrots (170g)
- ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans optional
- 1 batch Cream Cheese Frosting
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F (175C) and line a 12-count muffin pans with paper liners.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer (or in a large bowl using an electric mixer), whisk together flour, sugars, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.
- Stir in canola oil. Add eggs, one at a time, pausing to scrape down sides of the bowl after each addition. Beat until well-combined.
- Stir in vanilla extract and milk.
- Add carrots and nuts (if using). and stir until combined.
- Evenly divide batter into cupcake liners, filling each 2/3-3/4 of the way full. Transfer to oven and bake on 350F (175C) for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with moist crumbs.
- Allow to cool completely before decorating with cream cheese frosting*.
Notes
Nutrition
Trish says
These were so delicious! My son has been asking for carrot cupcakes recently, because our fave bakery, that used to make them, has closed. The whole family loved them! Very easy to make and I wouldn’t change a thing in them.
Sam says
I am so glad everyone enjoyed them so much, Trish! 🙂
Edz says
Hi I tried and everyone love it. Can I use the same amount of ingredients in a loaf pan. Awaiting in your reply
Sam says
The loaf would be a little on the small side. I’m not sure of a bake time. I’m not sure exactly how to adjust it to get it to fit in a loaf pan. If you try it, I’d love to know how it goes. 🙂
JP says
This looks like a great recipe, I really only wanted to make 6 cupcakes – do I just use half of all the ingredients?
Sam says
Yes that will work great! 🙂
Sim says
Can i substitute the milk?
Sam says
You could use a non-dairy milk, the cupcakes might not be quite as moist but it should be a minimal difference.
Nina says
These carrot cupcakes are my go to!! Super moist and packed with flavor. Is there by chance a way to add in some pineapple?
Sam says
Hi Nina! I haven’t played around with it but I think you could so it’s hard for me to say how much to add. If you do try it I would love to know how it goes. 🙂
Beth Veloff says
The Cupcakes are delicious. Made them for my Grand daughter and Great Grandkids they loved them.
Have to make another batch as I did not keep any for my husband.
So easy, have baked for years buy these were the best.
Sam says
I am so glad everyone enjoyed them so much, Beth! 🙂
Ellen says
Shouldn’t this recipe have some sort of liquid in it other than oil? My batter is very thick and it looks nothing like your picture. And I read the recipe for five different times and I see no water or anyting.
Sam says
Hi Ellen, there is 2 Tablespoons of milk in the recipe.
Vicky C says
Perfect! Followed the recipe exactly. Had enough for 16 cupcakes. I also used her cream cheese icing and it turned out great. I’m glad the recipe made more than 12 so I can eat some without it being so obvious! I’m taking the rest to my moms. Thanks so much 🙂
Sugar Spun Run says
I am so glad that you enjoyed the cupcakes, Vicky! I hope that your mom does too! Thanks for commenting. 🙂
Helen says
Best carrot cupcakes ever! This cup cakes are amazing! I have made then many times and they have always turn out perfect. Thank you so much for sharing Sam. Will be making them again and again. Love, love love!
Sam says
I am so glad you enjoyed them so much, Helen! 🙂
Taylee says
Thank you for the speedy reply! I’ll let you know how they turn out, I’m sure they will be great!! 😀
Taylee says
I was about to make these and realized I don’t have canola oil, will any other oil work?
Sugar Spun Run says
Hi, Taylee! Any neutral oil will work. I would reccomend vegetable oil or grapeseed oil. 🙂
Basma says
I don’t have walnuts. Can I skip them or put hazelnuts instead? Thank you!
Sam says
Hi Basma! The nuts are optional. You could use hazelnuts if you’d like or just leave them out. 🙂