These carrot cake cupcakes are everything you love about the cake—outstanding spice flavor, super moist crumb, and velvety cream cheese frosting—in a portioned cupcake wrapper! I’ve scaled down my popular carrot cake recipe to bring you a batch of cupcakes that’s easier and quicker, but just as delicious.
One reader, Leigh, commented: “Followed recipe exactly and cupcakes were delicious! Loved the tip about grating then coarse chopping the carrots. Piped frosting was the perfect consistency and so pretty. ★★★★★“
I think we can all agree that carrot cake and cream cheese frosting is a flavor duo surpassing time—it’s just never going out of style. I love it as carrot cake loaf and mixed up in this carrot Bundt cake. But nothing can compare to original carrot cake and today’s cupcake version. Just CLASSIC!
Tell Me About These Carrot Cake Cupcakes
- Flavor: These cupcakes are scrumptiously spiced with cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. You also have brown sugar, a little applesauce, natural sweetness from carrots, and the tangy-sweet frosting.
- Texture: The crumb of these cupcakes is soft and moist, but not at all greasy. (A difficult balance to achieve, but this recipe nails it!)
- Ease: Bakers of any skill level can handle this dessert recipe. You can mix the cupcake batter by hand, though I recommend using a mixer to make the cream cheese frosting.
- Time: The batch of cupcakes takes about 2 hours start to finish, and that includes cooling. Cupcakes cook faster than cake layers, but they still need to cool completely before frosting.
I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again: carrot cake is only good if it’s spiced and if it’s moist. Under-spiced carrot cake tastes like nothing. Dry carrot cake tastes like you forgot you were baking a cake and frosted a vegetable instead. Ha! I encourage you to stick to my recipe below for best results.
Key Ingredients You Need & Why
You can make carrot cake cupcakes with a handful of staple kitchen ingredients and these are the most important:
- Brown Sugar: Brown sugar not only sweetens the cupcakes, it lends more flavor and moisture than white sugar. I love using dark brown sugar in this recipe.
- Spices: Cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger add warmth and depth of flavor without overpowering anything else. I usually add some ground cloves to carrot cake recipes, but it’s quite potent and I don’t like it as much in the cupcakes.
- Vegetable Oil: When preparing cupcakes without strong flavors, like vanilla cupcakes, I prefer to use butter as the fat, because it adds flavor. But when I’m making a cupcake recipe with flavorful ingredients like these spiced cupcakes, I find using flavorless oil lets all those spice flavors shine. (Also, oil keeps the cupcakes SO VERY moist!)
- Carrots: Obviously, you need carrots. But actually, this recipe would be tasty if you substituted shredded apple or zucchini instead!
- Unsweetened applesauce: Applesauce adds even more moisture to these cupcakes, without making them oily. I love the subtle flavor that it adds, but you could also use sour cream or plain yogurt. Another popular swap for the applesauce is crushed canned pineapple, an addition many bakers love in pineapple carrot cake!
You may be surprised to see there’s only 1 and 1/3 cups of flour, which isn’t much considering all of the wet ingredients. Keep in mind that shredded carrots, while not necessarily a dry ingredient, bulk up the batter. Any more flour created a denser muffin-like texture. Trust this recipe because it works for cupcakes!
Success Tip: Shredding the Carrots
The bags of pre-shredded carrots you can find at the grocery store are not worth the extra couple of minutes it saves you to peel and shred whole carrots yourself. Store-bought carrot shreds are dry and tough, and that will translate into your carrot cake cupcakes. Grab whole carrots, a peeler, and a box grater, and flex your grating muscles!
And beyond that: After you’ve finished shredding, give the carrots a rough chop, so the pieces are finer and can distribute evenly in each cupcake, like this:
In this photo, you can see the difference. You want more carrots (moisture! flavor!) in each bite, so chop those shreds:
Photos: How to Make Carrot Cake Cupcakes
The full printable recipe is below, but let’s see a few photos of the process.
Expect a semi-thick cupcake batter:
We’re using my favorite cool and creamy cream cheese frosting recipe, which flawlessly pairs with warmly spiced desserts like carrot cake, spice cake, and pumpkin cake. One question we usually see with cream cheese frosting:
How Can I Keep My Cream Cheese Frosting Thick?
Cream cheese frosting is thinner than buttercream. Putting the frosting in the refrigerator for a bit—while you’re waiting for the cupcakes to cool—helps thicken it. This means your silky cream cheese frosting will hold its shape better when piped. Stick with basic piping tips and nothing intricate; even when chilled, the frosting will not hold shape as well as a sturdy buttercream.
And don’t fret, you don’t have to pipe this frosting; it’s just as tasty swiped on with a knife.
Or take it up another notch and fill your cupcakes with cream cheese frosting, too! Or even pastry cream. See my How to Fill Cupcakes post for more details on how to do so.
Which Other Frostings Could I Use? These carrot cake cupcakes would also taste great with whipped frosting, Swiss meringue buttercream, this caramel frosting, the cinnamon cream cheese frosting from these banana cupcakes, or simply unfrosted as carrot cake muffins (like morning glory muffins!).
What About a Dairy-Free Frosting Option?
Today’s cupcakes are dairy free when made with applesauce, so if you’re looking for a dairy free frosting, try this creamy marshmallow meringue frosting.
I topped this batch of cream cheese-frosted cupcakes with chopped nuts and a white chocolate carrot topper, but both are completely optional. See Notes for instructions on making the white chocolate topper!
Looking for Easter dessert inspiration? These cupcakes are always a favorite alongside a plate of jelly bean sugar cookies, or see 20+ more Easter dessert recipes.
Simply Carrot Cake Cupcakes
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 22 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours (includes cooling)
- Yield: 12
- Category: Cupcakes
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
These carrot cake cupcakes are a scaled down version of my popular carrot cake recipe. You can mix this easy cupcake batter by hand, though I recommend using a mixer to make the cream cheese frosting. The white chocolate carrot topper is optional!
Ingredients
- 1 and 1/3 cups (166g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 cup (120ml) vegetable oil
- 1 cup (200g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1/3 cup (80g) unsweetened applesauce, sour cream, or plain yogurt, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 and 1/2 cups (200g) peeled, shredded, and coarsely chopped carrots* (about 3 large carrots)
- optional add-in: 3/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans; raisins
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 ounces (224g) full-fat block cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 3 cups (360g) confectioners’ sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- optional garnish: white chocolate carrot topper (see Notes) and/or finely chopped walnuts or pecans
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners.
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg together in a large bowl. Set aside. Whisk the oil, brown sugar, eggs, applesauce, and vanilla extract together until combined, and then whisk in the carrots. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and fold or whisk together until completely combined. Batter will be slightly thick.
- Pour/spoon the batter into the liners, filling only about 3/4 full to avoid spilling over the sides. Bake for 21–23 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. For around 30 mini cupcakes, bake for about 12–13 minutes, same oven temperature. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.
- Meanwhile, make the frosting: In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter together on high speed until smooth and creamy. Add confectioners’ sugar, vanilla extract, and salt. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds and then switch to high speed and beat for 2 minutes. Cover and refrigerate the frosting as the cupcakes finish cooling—this is helpful if you plan to pipe the frosting with a piping bag + tip. Cold cream cheese frosting holds its shape better.
- Frost cooled cupcakes and top with optional garnish, if desired. I used an Ateco 808 piping tip and then swirled the center with a small icing spatula (you can see me do that in the video—totally optional way of decorating). Cover and store leftover cupcakes in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. I recommend a cupcake carrier for storing and transporting decorated cupcakes.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: Plain cupcakes can be made ahead 1 day in advance, covered, and stored at room temperature or in the refrigerator. Frosting can also be made 1 day in advance, covered, and stored in the refrigerator. If frosting is thick/stiff after refrigerating, beat it with your mixer for a minute to help loosen it up. Frosted or unfrosted cupcakes can be frozen up to 2–3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 12-count Muffin Pan | Cupcake Liners | Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Box Grater | Piping Bags (Reusable or Disposable) | Ateco #808 Piping Tip | Small Icing Spatula | Cupcake Carrier (for storage)
- Vegetable Oil: You can use melted and slightly cooled coconut oil instead of vegetable oil. If doing so, it’s imperative all other ingredients in the cupcake batter are room temperature so the oil does not solidify.
- Applesauce/Sour Cream/Yogurt: You can use any of these options, but applesauce is my favorite because it adds a little extra flavor. Or you could use the same amount of canned crushed pineapple instead (no need to drain).
- Carrot: Don’t use pre-shredded carrots found in the produce aisle because they’re quite dry. Rather, freshly shred large carrots to yield approximately 1 and 1/2 cups (200g) of moist carrot shreds. Before measuring, give the shreds a rough chop so the pieces are finer and distributed nicely in each cupcake. And instead of carrots, you could even use shredded apple or zucchini.
- How to Make White Chocolate Carrots Garnish: In a microwave-safe bowl, melt 4 ounces (113g, usually 1 bar) of white chocolate in 20-second increments, stirring after each until perfectly smooth. Separate into two bowls (don’t worry about making them perfectly equal). Tint one bowl with orange gel food coloring, and the other with green gel food coloring. (Use gel food coloring because liquid food coloring can change the consistency. I like the brand AmeriColor—you can find their gel colors in the baking aisle of craft stores or give it a quick search online. I use and recommend this set of 6 colors or this set of 12 colors.) Pour into two squeeze bottles. On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, wax paper, or a silicone mat, drizzle the orange melted chocolate into a carrot shape, then drizzle the green melted chocolate onto the tops to make the carrot stems. Refrigerate the pan until the chocolate carrots are set, at least 15 minutes. The white chocolate carrots do soften up when they come back to room temperature, so if making these cupcakes in advance, make sure to keep them in the refrigerator until it’s nearly time to serve them.
- Adapted from Carrot Cake Cupcakes in Sally’s Baking Addiction cookbook. This version yields fewer and the cupcakes aren’t as dense.
Reader Comments and Reviews
I used this recipe with my classes this week. I halved it so each student made 6 cupcakes. Not all recipes cook well when halved but this was perfect and the cupcakes were everything you promsed. All students loved their end product and the tip about not only grating but chopping the carrot was great. Thanks for another great recipe.
Can you freeze the garnish!
Hi Lori, we would garnish after thawing for best texture.
this is a really lovely recipe flavourful and moist except i wanna know how many calories are in each muffin
Hi Abby, We don’t usually include nutrition information as it can vary between different brands of the same ingredients. Plus, many recipes have ingredient substitutions or optional ingredients listed. However, there are many handy online calculators where you can plug in and customize your exact ingredients/brands. Readers have found this one especially helpful: https://www.verywellfit.com/recipe-nutrition-analyzer-4157076
This is a fantastic recipe! I used pineapple and added raisins. I have a 9 section mini-loaf pan that I put some of the batter in—worked great! Your website always ends up being the one I use. Thank you for sharing your “baking addiction” with us 🙂
I’m looking forward to making these but could I omit the ginger or substitute it for another spice without affecting the taste of the cupcakes?
Hi Belinda, you can certainly leave it out. Enjoy!
I prepared the cupcakes yesterday and it was a hit..the slight hint if cinnamon, the crunch from the walnut was just wow..!! My only problem is that my frosting is not holding its shape.. Please let me know how i can correct it and make it better.
Hi Pooja, it sounds like your cream cheese may have been a bit too soft, or there is not enough confectioners’ sugar in the frosting. You can add more confectioners’ sugar to help thicken it, or place the frosting in the refrigerator for a bit to help cool it down. So glad you enjoyed this recipe!
Can I use light cream cheese
Hi Kath, the frosting will be runnier with low-fat cream cheese.
Hi, I used the light cream cheese and just added a little more powder sugar to make it thicker. It still was delicious and everyone loved them!
If I’m baking at high altitude, how do I need to adjust the cook time? (Elevation 6,200 ft)
I wish we could help, but have no experience baking at high altitude. Some readers have found this chart helpful: https://www.kingarthurflour.com/learn/high-altitude-baking.html
I just made these and they were beautiful! I substituted yoghurt for the applesauce (didn’t have any), so the cupcakes were delicious but seemed missing just that extra sweetness that would have made it so much moreish when combined with the cream cheese frosting. Next time I’ll slightly increase the sugar content if substituting the applesauce.
The cream cheese frosting recipe is incredible!
The best carrot cake recipe ! Super moist and never fails
I was looking for carrot muffin recipe and found this recipe. Thank you so much. I loved it. I measured dark brown sugar with cups, but do you use american size cups? 1cup was not 200 grams in my scale. I just used 200 grams. not so sweet, but I like that kind of muffin! I cherish your recipe! Thank you for sharing. I have to thank my husband also to buy extra carrots at costco!!! maybe intensionally!!!!
Hi Yasuko, brown sugar should always be packed into the measuring cup, so 1 packed (American) cup should weigh about 200g. So you used the right amount if you weighed it instead of going by cup!
Loved these muffins with the cream cheese! Second time I make them!
Is it possible to use butternut squash instead of carrots? If so, will it be the same amount?
Hi Delaney, we haven’t tested it, but we fear that shredded butternut squash may bake up too soft for these cupcakes. It may be best to find a recipe specifically developed to use butternut squash. Let us know if you find something you love!
Great recipe, appreciate the technique tips. I did add walnuts and using a “jumbo” muffin pan (with baking liners) it yielded 10 large cupcakes. I will definitely save this recipe. Thanks
If I wanted to add raisins and pecans would I add 3/4 cup each?
Hi Priscilla! We would keep the total amount of add-ins to 3/4 cup, so you could do about half of each, or 1/2 cup pecans, 1/4 cup raisins.
The amount of writing and pictures on this page is utterly infuriating. In a recipe book you have the recipe right there, with the method next to it. Here I’m scrolling up and down through acres of garb trying to read amounts and then what to do with it. While I really appreciate this fabulous recipe being accessible, this excess of words and pictures makes baking a nightmare.
Hi Joy, I understand the frustration and we are working to keep the ads from changing sizes which creates more scrolling. However, the difference between my website recipes and cookbooks is that these are free to the user, and placing text, photos, and ads between them is how I am able to make a living, own a website, and run a business from sharing free recipes. Additionally, I find sharing answers to questions in the head notes, as well as step-by-step photos is helpful for most. Regardless, thank you for your feedback. The Jump to Recipe button is a helpful feature to skip right to the recipe.
Love this recipe, had to swap the cream cheese for spiced maple frosting, but they turned out great!
I love your recipes, but all the ads- Especially the video ads are So distracting they render the site virtually useless. It’s a shame really
Hi Christopher, thank you for your feedback. I work with my team and ad network frequently to change/move/replace ad placements and your feedback helps as we determine the next change.
Is it okay to use ginger powder or fresh ground ginger is better?
Hi Feline, we haven’t tested it but you should be able to use fresh grated ginger. Just remember that fresh ginger isn’t as strong as ground dried ginger so you will need to use more, and you should grate it as finely as possible.
Could you please include nutrition information for these cupcakes? Thank you.
Hi Cynthia, We don’t usually include nutrition information as it can vary between different brands of the same ingredients. Plus, many recipes have ingredient substitutions or optional ingredients listed. However, there are many handy online calculators where you can plug in and customize your exact ingredients/brands. Readers have found this one especially helpful: https://www.verywellfit.com/recipe-nutrition-analyzer-4157076
Might have been one of the best baked goods I have ever made!! Used the coconut oil instead and put pecans in the batter. Insanely amazing! It’s hard to just eat one
Absolutely love this recipe! Have been making for a few years now and its so healthy, kids love it! Wanted to see if you can suggest how to make it without sugar, maybe with maple syrup? And can I add protein powder to it? My husband’s die has changed due to health issues so now trying to make it as healthy as possible
Hi Mila, we haven’t tested these cupcakes with any liquid sweeteners—it would take some tinkering to ensure results. For a more wholesome, similar option, you might enjoy these morning glory muffins instead.
Can i use any oil for this recipe? Thanks in advance! ☺️
A neutral tasting oil is best when baking, and usually we use canola or vegetable. You can use other oil, just be aware that the flavor may change.
I substitute 1/4-1/2 of the oil with orange olive oil.
The batter tasted amazing! But i had to turn the oven down since the edges started burning before the center was even warmed… Definitely will try again though in the future to see how it goes.
Curious can you make the cream cheese frosting without the powdered sugar and or half the amount? Love the sugar taste , but like to reduce sugar amount and keep creaminess of the topping.
While you can certainly try reducing the confectioners’ sugar, it is what helps to keep the frosting creamy and not too thin. Keep this in mind as you play around with reducing the amount. Do not omit it completely.
i always just combine 200g butter, 200g confectioners sugar, and then add 400g cream cheese. Works perfectly every time.
I would like to make mini cupcakes with your recipe. How to I adapt it to suit ? Many thanks in advance!
Hi Laura, For around 30 mini cupcakes, bake for about 12–13 minutes, same oven temperature.
Light fluffy carrot cake – not too sweet either! I pulsed the carrots in a food processor, but otherwise followed the recipe exactly. I used Greek yogurt since it’s what I had on hand. Amazing, my new go-to carrot cake!
These were absolutely FANTASTIC! I did sub half the oil with applesauce in addition to the applesauce in the recipe. I also included chopped pecans. Also used half the sugar in the frosting. Still sweet enough. The muffins were delicious!
I made these today, substituting about 3/4 cup crushed pineapple for the applesauce. It made 10 large muffins that baked for about 28 minutes. Super moist and incredibly good – I ate two, even though I made them for my husband to take to work. The house smelled divine.
What is baking time and temperature if I want to make 6 jumbo carrot cake muffins using this recipe? Thanks
Hi Jerry, we’re unsure of the exact bake time, but keep a close eye on them and use a toothpick to test for doneness.
Would I be able to use gluten free flour or an alternative? I’ve made the cake recipe before and super excited to try the cupcakes but am catering for a gluten free friend!
Hi Eliza! We haven’t tested this recipe with gluten free flour, but let us know if you give it a try.