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 ½-1 cup of add-ins.
- This recipe can be doubled to make 24 cupcakes.
Enjoy! The full printable recipe is just below the video, make sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel if you enjoy watching these videos!!
How Do You Make Carrot Cake Cupcakes
Carrot Cake Cupcakes
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups (157 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar packed
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¾ cups (180 ml) avocado, vegetable, or canola oil
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 Tablespoons milk
- 1 ½ cups (170 g) grated carrots
- ½ cup (60 g) chopped walnuts or pecans, optional
- 1 batch Cream Cheese Frosting
Recommended Equipment
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.1 ¼ cups (157 g) all-purpose flour, ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar, ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar packed, ¾ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- Stir in oil. Add eggs, one at a time, pausing to scrape down sides of the bowl after each addition. Beat until well-combined.¾ cups (180 ml) avocado, vegetable, or canola oil, 2 large eggs
- Stir in vanilla extract and milk.1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract, 2 Tablespoons milk
- Add carrots and nuts (if using). and stir until combined.1 ½ cups (170 g) grated carrots, ½ cup (60 g) chopped walnuts or pecans, optional
- Evenly divide batter into cupcake liners, filling each ⅔-¾ 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 in the baking tin for 5 minutes before carefully removing to a cooling rack to cool completely before decorating with cream cheese frosting*.1 batch Cream Cheese Frosting
Notes
Storing
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
Shaki
Can I substitute all purpose flour with almond meal?
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Shaki! Unfortunately, no. I’d be afraid that the cupcakes would be too dry or crumbly.
Reshma Pereira
Can I make these cupcakes using wholewheat flour instead of the all purpose flour?
Sam
Hi Reshma! Whole wheat flour is a little bit “thirstier” than all purpose flour so you cupcakes would probably turn out a little dry. 🙁
Reshma Pereira
Can I make these cupcakes using wholewheat flour instead of all purpose flour?
Sam
Hi Reshma! Whole wheat flour is typically a little “thirstier” than all purpose flour and your cupcakes may end up being pretty dry so I wouldn’t recommend it here. 🙁
Nancy Gibson
Very good! 😁❤️🧁
Donna
Is it possible to substitute applesauce for the canola oil? Trying to make them a bit more healthy…if that is such a thing with desserts!!!
Sam
Hi Donna! I haven’t tried it but I think it could work. Let me know how it goes. 🙂
Trish
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
I am so glad everyone enjoyed them so much, Trish! 🙂
Edz
Hi I tried and everyone love it. Can I use the same amount of ingredients in a loaf pan. Awaiting in your reply
Sam
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
This looks like a great recipe, I really only wanted to make 6 cupcakes – do I just use half of all the ingredients?
Sam
Yes that will work great! 🙂
Sim
Can i substitute the milk?
Sam
You could use a non-dairy milk, the cupcakes might not be quite as moist but it should be a minimal difference.
Nina
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
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
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
I am so glad everyone enjoyed them so much, Beth! 🙂
Ellen
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
Hi Ellen, there is 2 Tablespoons of milk in the recipe.
Vicky C
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
I am so glad that you enjoyed the cupcakes, Vicky! I hope that your mom does too! Thanks for commenting. 🙂
Helen
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
I am so glad you enjoyed them so much, Helen! 🙂
Taylee
Thank you for the speedy reply! I’ll let you know how they turn out, I’m sure they will be great!! 😀
Taylee
I was about to make these and realized I don’t have canola oil, will any other oil work?
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Taylee! Any neutral oil will work. I would reccomend vegetable oil or grapeseed oil. 🙂
Basma
I don’t have walnuts. Can I skip them or put hazelnuts instead? Thank you!
Sam
Hi Basma! The nuts are optional. You could use hazelnuts if you’d like or just leave them out. 🙂