March 20, 2015
Carrot Cake Cupcakes!
*This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure for more details!*
Light & moist carrot cake cupcakes with cream cheese frosting, and chopped walnuts!
Carrot cake
Recipe updated May 2020 – This recipe has been updated as it’s been on my blog for over five years now, and it needed it! I will put the original recipe below, but this newer and updated version is definitely better!
These cupcakes I must admit are utterly delicious – and amazing for a cake that is based on a vegetable. I realise that carrot cake is essentially a ‘classic’ cake these days, but with the idea of vegetable cakes growing and growing, it’s nice to not forget a good’un! This has to be one of my favourite cakes around.
If I’m being honest, I used to think it was icky when I was younger, why would you want vegetables in a cake?! But my young naivety has disappeared, and I now realise how amazing it is! Vegetables in cakes are ingenious and epic.
Carrot cake cupcakes
The cupcake is utterly delicious and packed FULL of flavour thanks to the spices, but is so incredibly light that sometimes I worry that the icing might weigh it down! However, the addition of cream cheese frosting works beautifully! Both are equally are light and delicious and beyond yummy.
I like to keep the cupcake mix plain, but you can easily add some walnuts into the mix as well as on top, or you can add raisins to the mix, or any other nut for that matter! It’s so easily adaptable.
Carrots
When grating the carrots, you don’t want too big chunks, but you don’t want the tiny grating you can do – like parmesan cheese. You want a standard grated carrot. The good thing about the carrot is it works so well to keep a cake moist, and it means the sponges don’t dry out in the fridge when topped with the cream cheese frosting!
Cream cheese frosting
With these delicious cupcakes, I just adore how light they are, and yet so moreish. I honestly can’t stop repeating myself! They are incredibly easy to make, and for the actual sponges, you don’t want to use a mixer! You just want a bowl and a spatula. However, for the frosting – I find using my stand mixer with the beat attachment the best!
If you want more information on the cream cheese frosting – I advise looking at the blog post I’ve done! It’s a full-on in detail post about cream cheese frosting, why it can sometimes go wrong, and so on! It’s dreamy once you get it right though and it’s the best! You can see from these photos how perfect they are!
Carrot cake recipes
I have a carrot cake recipe as well or even a gluten free carrot cake! I have endless carrot cake related posts on here that you won’t get bored if you like it as much as I do. I even have a carrot cake cheesecake that is SO GOOD! Literally… can someone be too obsessed?!
Piping tips and baking cups
As always, I used my favourite 2D Closed Star Piping Tip to decorate these, and I used the beautiful baking cups from Iced Jems! Enjoy! x
Carrot Cake Cupcakes!
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 125 ml sunflower oil
- 2 medium eggs (or large)
- 175 g grated carrots
- 125 g light brown sugar
- 175 g self raising flour
- 1.5 tsps mixed spice
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 150 g unsalted butter (room temp)
- 150 g icing sugar
- 300 g full fat cream cheese (cold)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Decoration
- Chopped walnuts
- Carrot decorations
Instructions
Cupcakes
- Heat oven to 180C/160C fan, and line a muffin tray with 12 cupcake/muffin cases, or use 12 Iced Jems baking cups on a flat tray!
- Grate your carrots (peel first and chop the ends off), and leave to the side. You need 175g of grated carrot to be the weight at the end.
- Whisk together the sunflower oil and eggs.
- Add in the grated carrots and sugar, and mix again.
- Add in the flour, mixed spice, ground ginger, and cinnamon, and bicarbonate of soda!
- Try not to over mix it - I use a large glass bowl with a spatula.
- Split the mixture between the 12 cupcake cases, and bake in the oven for 20-22 minutes!
Cream Cheese Frosting
- Beat your butter on its own for a few minutes to loosen it.
- Add in the icing sugar, and beat again - I beat this for about 5 minutes, to make it really smooth.
- Make sure your cream cheese doesn't have any excess water - I find it best to add it to a bowl first just to make sure.
- Add in the cream cheese, and vanilla and beat. At first, it may look a little weird, but just keep on beating. I end up beating it for a few minutes - it can go through a lumpy stage first, but eventually, the lumps beat out and it's smooth and thick!
- Once beaten - it should be lovely and thick.
Decoration
- Get your favourite piping tip - I use a 2D closed star piping tip!
- Pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes.
- Sprinkle over some chopped walnuts, and a carrot decoration!
Notes
- These cupcakes will last for 3 days, in the fridge.
- You can add 100g of walnuts or raisins to the cupcake mix.
- I use a 2D closed star piping tip to decorate!
- I use these cute baking cups for the cupcakes!
- The original recipe was:
- 125g light brown sugar, 175g self raising flour, 1 1/2 tsp mixed spice, 1/2 tsp ground ginger, 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda, 1 large egg, 115ml sunflower oOil, 175g grated carrots
- 150g unsalted Butter, room temperature, 300g icing sugar
ENJOY!
Find my other Cupcake Recipes on my Recipes Page!
You can find me on:
Instagram
Facebook
Pinterest
Twitter
Youtube
J x
© Jane’s Patisserie. All images & content are copyright protected. Do not use my images without prior permission. If you want to republish this recipe, please re-write the recipe in your own words and credit me, or link back to this post for the recipe.
Unbelievably light and fluffy. Absolutely gorgeous. Thank you Jane 💖
Hi Jane! I would like to make a large batch of these cupcakes for an upcoming party, but due to the amount of cupcakes I’ll be baking I will not have enough fridge space for storage. Not sure if the cream cheese frosting will be ok the following day if left in a cool place or it would be best to top with vanilla buttercream instead? x
This is the most unbelievable cream cheese frosting! It’s like creame cheese mallow fluff!! Like what the fluff!?! Awesome as always x
You terrified the life out of me with the warnings about the cream cheese frosting. I had decided to make these as I had some friends coming for tea this afternoon.I am not the greatest baker but I needn’t have worried. They turned out amazingly. The recipe was so easy to follow and the cupcakes were as light as a feather. The frosting too was incredible. My friends couldn’t stop raving about them and all took one home wrapped in foil too. Thank you so much. Another recipe to add to my repertoire. My husband thinks they’re fabulous too.
I love baking and have been doing it for many years. I used this recipe for the first time this week. My husband said they are the best I’ve ever made. Kudos to Jane.
Loved the recipe and went down really well with everyone. However I think I may have done something wrong with the cream cheese icing.
I used the amount stated but it came out alittle runny, I added more icing sugar to try and thicken but was not as thick as normal buttercream. Did I mix it to much?
Hiya, unfortunately adding more icing sugar won’t solve anything, the extra mixing will make it more runny and not thicker. How did you mix it?
Make sure you use full fat cream cheese, not low fat
I have never made a cup cake in my life! Let alone cream cheese frosting!! Made these last night for a friends birthday, they came out beautifully, I was a bit nervous about making the frosting, but I followed the recipe to the letter and it came out perfect! Probably beginners luck, but thank you for this recipe, will definitely make again!!
Made these over the weekend and they’re delicious! Well done Jane on a fabulous recipe 😋😍 If I were to make it into an 8” round (double layer cake) how long should I cook them for please and also would I just double the amount of ingredients? Thank you!
Hiya! Take a look at my Carrot cake recipe. Hope this helps! x
potentially a stupid question but what is in the “mixed spice” mix?
Hiya! Mixed spice is a pre mixed spice – take a look at the jar for which exact spices it contains! Hope this helps! x
These are the best carrot cupcakes! Very easy to bake and really light and moist. The icing is also really yummy although I found I only needed to use half the quantity as I spread it over the tops of my cakes rather than piping. Delicious!
Hi Jane. After trying your coconut Jam cake & nailing it, also the Ferraro Rocher cupcakes turned out ok too, I tried to do the carrot cake cupcakes. The texture of the cake was light, fluffy & moist, For some reason I can’t pipe but I’m going to keep trying. In the end I spread the cream on top & covered with nuts. They still looked quite nice. I love carrot cake in tea rooms So thought why not try this recipe. I followed the recipe exactly how it is. For me I would definitely add some nuts into the mixture but that’s just because I love nuts & I like the texture. Each to their own😊 My question is “is it necessary to add the ginger”? I added 1/2 level tsp but I still found I tasted ginger more then anything. Something just wasn’t quite right taste wise. Im sure in the carrot cake loaf recipe there’s no ginger. I could be wrong though! If I reduce the ginger or take it out completely should I increase the other spice? Also any advice on piping? My piping bag had air in it. It just came out & sounded funny, I won’t describe how my daughter said it sounded🙈I just bake for a little self worth so really want to nail the piping. Also my husband & daughter love doing you cheesecakes. They are beautiful & tge only thing I ask for on my bday or Mother’s Day is for them to make me one, The chocolate orange “Wow”😋
Hiya! There is ground ginger in the loaf cake – so maybe you slightly overmeasure something or a different ingredient for the taste to be slightly off! Its worth practicing piping technique onto a chopping board, then you can re-use the frosting! Hope this helps! x
Can these be frozen? xx
Yes absolutely, for up to 3 months! x
I made these for the office and they were met with genuine awe, delicious as always Jane thank you!
Made these for my Dad’s birthday and they went down a treat with the whole family. The cream cheese frosting makes a nice change from having buttercream on cupcakes, and the spices create a lovely flavour sponge. I’ll be downloading this one and saving it to my go to recipe list! Thank you 🙂
Hi Jane, I love all your recipes and new book. I am wondering if you have tried to make buttercream or cream cheese frosting with the hard block of margarine rather than real butter? Would it work? Many thanks in advance 😊
Hiya! I would recommend always using real block butter for any type of frosting! Hope this helps! x
Hi Jane. These carrot cupcakes look scrumptious 🥰. I’m anxious to bake. Please could you confirm which is the updated carrot cupcake recipe? Is it the one using 125ml of vegetable oil or 115ml of vegetable oil? Curious to know why the amount changed! 🙂 Just wondering why all other cupcake recipes you have use butter or stork but for these cupcakes you choose oil? 🧐
Many thanks.
Made these for the first time- lovely light carrot cakes- didn’t have any butter so mixed the cream cheese with some lemon curd – thought it’s sugar, butter and lemons so gave it a go – to make the topping.. only need 1 tub of cheese for enough to cover all of them generously.
Hi,
This is the second time I will ask about this hope you will notice please. Can I use all purpose flour instead? If yes, how much baking powder shall I add? Many thanks
I just googled it
1/2 teaspoon for 100g flour
Just just under a teaspoon for this recipe
Make these every other week, they are sooooo good 👍 Took some into work and they loved them! Just put a new batch in, can’t wait to have one later 🤤
If I was to make these cupcakes gluten free, would it just be a matter of changing the flour or is there anything else I’d need to do?:)
Yes they should work great gluten free!
Please help! I’m trying to follow your carrot cake cupcake recipe and am having a hard time converting measurements. I’m a new baker and I’ve never measured in grams and mls…i usually measure in cups. Do you have any advice? or a way I can read the recipe a little easier? I am from Texas
Hiya, unfortunately I do not measure in cups as I find it extremely unreliable. It would be better, if possible, to invest in digital scales so you can do all recipes xx
Does the moisture need to be squeezed out of the carrot for this recipe? if so, is 175g carrot the drained weight?
I never squeeze it out for carrot cake x
Hi Jane can mascarpone be used
I haven’t tested it with mascarpone, but it should be absolutely fine!
Would this recipe work as mini carrot cakes in the Lakeland tin?
Hey! Yes should do x
This recipe is absolutely amazing! I had to make them for a second time just this weekend because the first batch we’re gone in the blink of an eye – everyone loved them so much, the cream cheese frosting is probably one of the best I’ve ever had, the flavours just exactly right and perfectly balanced! This is definitely on my list of regulars! Thank you Jane! Can’t wait to receive your book!
Made this the other day and it went down well in my house very light and moist I used vegetable oil and all was good
Hii! Im so glad you all enjoyed!x
Best carrot cake recipe ever! Made these for my mum for mothers day and she loved them. 3 days later in the fridge and they were just as moist as the first day. I will never use another recipe for carrot cake!
So yummy! :)))
The best carrot cake recipe I’ve ever used! Had to forward to a friend she was so impressed.
Going to make a cheesecake next from your recipes, can’t wait.
All your recipes are fantastic! How many calories do you think are in each cupcake?
Fab recipe, the cream cheese frosting is fantastic
I would love to make these but only have vegetable
Or olive oil at the moment. Would either of these be ok to use?
I would use vegetable oil! X
Made these for my boyfriend for Valentine’s Day last year. Carrot cake is his absolute favourite and he was super impressed that I’d made these for him. And he thoroughly enjoyed devouring them!
Absolutely amazing. Made these today and cant get over how delicious they are. Highly recommend this recipe.
I don’t own a stand mixer, would you recommend beating the cream cheese in with a spatula rather than using my electric whisk? Thank you.
An electric whisk with the beater attachments if you have it would be easier so it can definitely beat properly, but it can definitely be done with just a spatula xx
Is it possible to use gluten free self raising flower to make these gluten free? Thanks!
Yes that would be fine (obviously double check all other ingredients as well) x
All of your recipes are fantastic! I was wondering if I wanted to make these as muffins instead of cupcakes, can I just double up the mixture or would it be specific measurements?
Thank you!
It would depend on the muffin cases you are using, but I would probably say you would only need another half of the recipe! x
Would love to make these but have someone who can’t eat eggs to cater for, any suggestions on how to adapt?
I would use a standard egg replacement such as mashed banana, flaxseed, or anything! It’s worth a google as there’s many methods x
Gonna attempt this just to get the cream cheese correct, is the mixed spice really necessary?
It’s a delicious flavour and it’s in the recipe for a reason, so without it changes the flavour is all.
Hi, if I wanted to bake this recipe but as a single 8″ round cake (just one layer), how long do you think I should bake it? xx
I would imagine about 35 minutes if you based it around my layer cake version! X
Cupcakes look delicious. I’m wanting to attempt this recipe but I’d like to make a smaller batch of 6. Please can you tell me how to scale the recipe down. Thanks in advance 🙂
Literally just half everything to the nearest gram – I’ve done it before and it works!
Hi Jane,
I am planning on making these cakes along with some others for a tea party for my mum! Would these cakes be OK to make in advance and then freeze a week before? Obviously minus the frosting/decoration.
Thanks.
Hey!! Yes the sponges will freeze well xx
Hi Jane, I was thinking about adding walnuts to the mixture but at what point would I add this in? Also how many grams of chopped up walnuts would be suitable for this recipe?
I’m also struggling to get a hold of baking cups atm. Would muffin liners work okay with this amount of mixture (should I be filling two thirds of the case full or halfway?)
Thank you in advance 😁
I would add them in with the flour ingredients, and maybe 75-100g! Muffin cases can work, but the baking times is based on 12 cupcakes so split the mixture the same and it should be okay! X
Looks so good! I’m going to do this a birthday. I can’t get any light brown sugar at the moment but have dark brown
Sugar, can I use this?
Thank you
Yes you can!!
I haven’t been able to get any icing sugar so have bought ready made buttercream. Will that be ok and how much cream cheese should I add please.
Hiya – I’m afraid I have no idea! I’m not a fan of ready made buttercream, and it tends to be a lot softer!
oh dear I had better keep looking for icing sugar then
Beautiful!
I going for buttercream Frosting instead of cream cheese. Can you add almond extract to the frosting as-well as vanilla or would you only recommend using the one?
Yes you definitely could use both if you like both!!
I’m going to attempt these for my husbands birthday. I’d like to add walnuts and raisins to the cake mix how much should I add please. I wasn’t sure if I should just follow the big cake recipe.
Hey! I would add about 60g of each!
Hi Jane,
Could I make these in the tin you spoke about for your mini Victoria sponges?
Thanks!
Yes!! x
Literally the best cupcakes, I ended up making 18 and sharing the love with our neighbours and they all had some lovely compliments!
My first time making cream cheese so theres some learnings but this recipe is so easy and so incredible!
Thank you! 🙂
I’m just making this recipes and the mixture seems quite dry and crumbly, not sure where I’ve gone wrong. Can you help?
I’ve literally just updated the recipe! The new version uses a bit more oil and another egg 😊
Thankyou they turned out lovely! I used your cream cheese frosting recipe for these and it was delicious!
Hey!
I would love to make this into a loaf tin. How much of the ingredients will I need for a 2lb tin?
Thank you!!
HI Jane,
Can you substitute the sunflower oil for olive oil in this recipe?
Yes that should be fine! I tend to use sunflower/vegetable as they’re flavourless whereas olive oil can sometimes have a flavour is all!
Hi Jane,
can i use vegetable oil instead of sunflower oil in this recipe?
As far as I know mixed spice isn’t available here in the states. Do you know if pumpkin pie spice would be a resonable substitution?
I’m sure it would work perfectly!
I used 2 medium eggs instead of 1 large. Perfect. Timed exactly 20 mins on 180 and that was all that was needed. Thumbs up from all my fam too!
Amazing!!
Looking forward to trying these as I have some leftover cream cheese ice cream from some cupcakes I made on the weekend. Do these freeze well?
I’m sure they would! ?
I made these cupcakes last night for a comic relief bake at work. I added all the ingredients but the mixture was very dry, the recipe said 1 large egg in the ingredients but said combine the sunflower and eggs together. I added another egg and the mixture was much better and the cakes have turned out perfect. Just wondered if there could be an egg missing from your ingredients list?
The mixture would have worked fine with the one egg – I made these recently with the one egg and the photos are the ones produced. As you are using sunflower oil, and the carrot also produces moisture, you don’t need much egg. ?
Thank you. Just got a bit worried as the method said eggs instead of egg. They taste lovely and i will be making them again 🙂
You can do two medium eggs, or two small eggs, but 1 large is fine. ?
Hi Jane – I made your carrot cake recipe at the weekend – it was absolutely delicious! Thank you! I just wanted to ask with the cupcakes, would it be possible to use all self raising flour? What difference does the wholemeal flour make? I’m happy to go and get some if necessary! Thank you! Paula
The different flours just make a different flavour – but all normal self raising is still perfectly fine! I do that often ☺️ x
Thank you!
Oh yum yum yum! I love carrot cake however it comes but these little cupcakes look divine 😀
Thanks Jo!! 🙂
They look sooo goood!
Thank you so much!!
These look so delicious.
Thank you so much!!
These look so delicious! I love carrot cake, its one of my all time favourites 🙂 Have you tried baking with any other veggies?
Jennie // Scarletscorchdroppers
x
Thank you!! And same it’s so utterly delicious isn’t it! I keep on trying to make courgette/zucchini cakes by my mum always uses them before I’ve done it!! X
Haha, I always have that probably when I want to make banana bread – someone always eats the bananas before they’re ready! X
It always happens doesn’t it!! Haha x
Mmmmm. I must try these. Our wedding cake was carrot cake. But I’ve never made it myself! That may change this weekend.
Thank you! And that sounds like my kind of wedding cake!!
Oh, I love the flexibility of this recipe.. They sound delicious.
Thank you so much 🙂