Carrot Cake Cupcakes Recipe that’s moist, tender, and perfectly spiced, topped with cinnamon cream cheese frosting and crunchy pecans!
author’s note
My Dad’s Favorite Dessert, EVER!
My dad’s favorite dessert has always been carrot cake. For years, I made it for birthdays, holidays, and just about any excuse I could find. After testing and tweaking the recipe more times than I can count, I finally landed on the version my family loves most.
Once my kids got involved in the kitchen, though, making a full layered cake became a little more… chaotic. Tiny hands tend to move faster than I can keep up with, especially when sugar is involved. So I turned that favorite carrot cake into cupcakes.
These cupcakes have the same soft, moist crumb and cozy spice blend, but they’re easier to mix, bake, and serve. Now my toddler asks to make “carrot cake cupcakes” almost every Sunday, and they disappear just as fast as we can frost them.
Carrot Cake Cupcakes Recipe Ingredients
| Ingredient | Tips or Swaps |
|---|---|
| Fresh carrots | 1 Tip: Grate carrots by hand for ultra-moist cupcakes. Store-bought shreds are too big and dry! |
| Applesauce | Use unsweetened; if you’ve never tried making your own homemade applesauce you need to give it a try! |
| Oil | Use vegetable or canola oil |
| Brown sugar | Light or dark brown sugar both work |
| Warm spices | Adjust cinnamon to taste |
| Cream cheese | Use full-fat for best texture in the frosting |
How To Make This Carrot Cake Cupcakes Recipe
- Mix dry ingredients in one bowl.
- Beat sugars and eggs until smooth.
- Add applesauce, vanilla, and oil.
- Stir in carrots and dry ingredients just until combined.
- Fill liners and bake until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool completely, then frost with cinnamon cream cheese frosting.
- Finish with pecans if desired.
Featured Comment
“I keep coming back to this recipe, year after year! My family all raves over these cupcakes! They make the perfect dessert for Easter…Delicious and moist. Thanks Chelsea!”
– Brooke
chelsea’s recipe tip
How To Know When Cupcakes Are Done:
This carrot cake cupcakes recipe should be slightly domed with golden-brown tops.
Toothpick test: Stick a toothpick in the center—if it comes out clean or with a few soft crumbs, they’re done. No toothpick? Lightly press the top—if it bounces back, they’re ready.
Quick Tip
This recipe makes plenty of frosting for generously topped cupcakes. For less, halve the recipe or use extras as a fruit dip or spread on waffles or pancakes!
Variations
Switch Things Up
- Gluten-Free: Use gluten-free flour instead of regular flour.
- Nuts or Raisins: Put in some chopped nuts or raisins for extra crunch and sweetness.
- Pineapple: Mix in some crushed pineapple to make the cake moist and fruity.
- Switch Up The Frosting: Add a plain vanilla frosting or a vanilla/chocolate buttercream on this carrot cake cupcakes recipe.
More Delicious Cupcake Recipes:
Desserts
Cinnamon Roll Cupcakes
Desserts
Cake Mix Cupcakes
Desserts
Banana Cupcakes
Desserts
Chocolate Chip Cupcake Recipe
Carrot Cake Cupcakes
Video
Equipment
- Muffin pan lined
Ingredients
- 1-1/3 cups flour spooned and leveled
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1-1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 2/3 cup light brown sugar packed
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup applesauce unsweetened
- 3/4 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil or canola oil
- 1-1/2 cups grated carrot see note 1
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese room temperature, do not use low fat
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cavity muffin pan with cupcake liners and set aside. Set out the cream cheese and butter to get to room temperature.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. Set aside.
- In a separate large mixing bowl, use a mixer to beat together the brown sugar, granulated sugar, and eggs until combined. Mix in applesauce and vanilla extract. With the mixer running at low speed, slowly pour in vegetable oil and mix until combined. Finely shred the carrots on the small side of your grater and measure to ensure you have 1-1/2 cups. Add the dry ingredients right on top of the wet ingredients and the shredded carrots right on top of that. Stir until just combined, be careful to not overmix.
- Pour batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each cup about 3/4 full. You should use all the batter among the 12 cavities. Bake in preheated oven for about 18–22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcake comes out clean. Cool in the muffin tin for several minutes; transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.
Frosting
- Using a hand mixer, cream together the room temperature butter and cream cheese on medium-high speed until completely smooth. Mix in vanilla extract, salt, and cinnamon. With mixer running on low speed, slowly add powdered sugar and beat until well blended and smooth. If you’d like a thicker frosting, add a bit more powdered sugar (see note 2). Chill the frosting while the cupcakes finish cooling.
- Frost completely cooled cupcakes with cream cheese frosting, and if desired, sprinkle crushed pecans on top.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Love the cupcakes. Realized I didn’t have applesauce so substituted Greek yogurt. My grandchildren loved them and had a serving of carrots!!
So happy you enjoyed these! 🙂
How would I adjust this recipe to make a cake instead of cupcakes?
I’d make this recipe instead: https://axis-framework.live/candied-pecan-carrot-cake/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
I made these exactly as the recipe called for. They were moist & so delicious! Shredding the carrots was a bit of a task. I ended up with carrot purée when I used the smallest part of the grater. May rethink that part next time. The cream cheese frosting was also delicious… decadent & yummy!! Thanks for sharing this recipe!
So thrilled to hear that! Thanks for the comment Jen 🙂
Have you ever tried doubling the recipe to get 24 cupcakes? Just wondering if there would be any issues with doing that. Thank you!
I haven’t personally, but don’t see why it wouldn’t work!
This recipe was amazing !! I do want to know if the frosting will do well with color ? I want to make a tri- color frosting for Easter 🙂
Thank you!! Yes it should be great 🙂
Loved this recipe !! I did have a question though, can I add food coloring to it ? Thinking of making the frosting tri color for Easter !
I think it would be just fine with food dye! 🙂
Are they cupcakes, muffins, who cares!? 🥰They are perfect! I am at 8000 ft, I used my homemade applesauce, reduced leavening a bit, and baked at 360 degrees. Lovely!
Awesome! I’m so glad you enjoyed! Thanks for your comment! 🙂
These look sooo good, as do all your recipes-but I don’t have any applesauce – would it work out to substitute the same amount of canned pumpkin puree?
I haven’t tried it so I can’t say for sure, but I think it would work texture wise. Applesauce is naturally a lot sweeter than pumpkin though so you’d end up with a less sweet baked good
If I want to cook this in a pan instead of cupcakes what size pan should I use?
I’d recommend this carrot cake instead!
I’m planning to make the cupcakes on Saturday, frost them on Sunday and take them to work on Monday…. if I keep them in a sealed container in the fridge, am I safe? Or is it risky to frost them in advance?
I personally try to frost as close to possible for serving, but if you have a good airtight cupcake container I think it will be okay! The frosting firms a lot in the fridge so make sure to leave time for it to “thaw” a bit to room temperature so it’s not rock hard!