Carrot Cake Cupcakes!
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Light & moist carrot cake cupcakes with cream cheese frosting, and chopped walnuts!
Vegetable bakes
I must admit, these cupcakes 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 growing popularity of vegetable cakes in recent years, like my chocolate courgette loaf cake, it’s nice to not forget a good’un. This recipe shows that this carrot cupcake bake isn’t just for an old fashioned tea room or at your grandparent’s house on Sunday afternoon but for all occasions.
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, and as I have mentioned in the blog before this has to be one of my favourite cakes around, it’s probably #1.
Carrot cake recipes
If you love these cupcakes as much as I do, I also have a carrot cake recipe, 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?!
Whether you’re baking for Easter, a cosy afternoon treat, or just because you fancy something sweet, there’s a carrot cake recipe for every occasion on the blog. 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.
Carrots
When grating the carrots, the consistency of the carrot is key. You don’t want too big chunks that look more at home in a stew, but you don’t want the tiny grating – like parmesan cheese as this will melt away into the bake and take the flavour with it. You want a standard grated carrot, plenty of carrot flavour, even moisture, and a lovely texture that blends right into the sponge.
The magic of carrot cake lies in how the carrots keep everything beautifully moist. Even after a few days in the fridge, the cupcakes stay soft and fresh instead of drying out. That natural sweetness from the carrots also means you don’t need heaps of sugar, making them just the right level of indulgent. Honestly, it’s one of the reasons carrot cake has become such a firm favourite for me.
The cupcake base
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, the perfect combination.
I like to keep the cupcake mix plain, but you can easily add chopped walnuts or pecans to the cake mixture for a bit of crunch, or throw in some raisins for a more traditional twist. The base mix stays the same, and it’s so forgiving that you can make it your own without fear. Whether you keep them simple or load them up, they’ll turn out delicious every single time.
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.
Piping tips and decorating
When it comes to decorating, I always reach for my 2D closed star piping tip, it gives the prettiest swirls every time. A generous swirl of frosting topped with a few chopped walnuts instantly makes them look bakery-perfect, and it’s so simple to do. You can even add a little carrot decoration or sprinkle of cinnamon for a cute finishing touch.
Because they’re not overly sweet, they’re a great option for people who don’t love super sugary bakes. The gentle spice, soft sponge, and tangy cream cheese frosting make them incredibly moreish without being heavy. I also love gifting these to friends or family, they travel well, look beautiful, and always get rave reviews. If there’s ever a bake I’m confident taking somewhere, it’s these.
Tips and tricks
- 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.
- 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 oil, 175g grated carrots
- 150g unsalted butter, room temperature, 300g icing sugar
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 180ºc/160ºc fan, and line a muffin tray with 12 cupcake/muffin cases, or use 12 cupcake cases 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!
- 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
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 🙂