The best carrot cupcake recipe with crushed pineapple and the perfect blend of spices, all topped with a delectable four-ingredient cream cheese frosting.
Course Dessert
Cuisine Southern
Keyword carrot cake cupcake recipe, how long to bake carrot cake cupcakes, how to make carrot cake cupcakes
Prep Time 20 minutesminutes
Cook Time 25 minutesminutes
Servings 12cupcakes
Calories 501kcal
Author Beth Pierce
Ingredients
Carrot Cake Cupcakes
1 ½cupsall-purpose flour
1teaspoonbaking soda
½teaspoonbaking powder
½teaspoonsalt
2teaspoonsground cinnamon
¼teaspoonground nutmeg
¼teaspoonground ginger
2large eggs room temperature
½cupgranulated sugar
½cuppacked light brown sugar
½cupvegetable oil or canola oil
1teaspoonvanilla extract
18.25 ounce crushed pineapple (do not drain)
1 ½cupspeeled and finely grated carrots
1cupchopped walnutsoptional
Cream Cheese Frosting
8ouncescream cheesesoftened
1/2cupunsalted buttersoftened
1teaspoonvanilla extract
3½ -4cupspowdered sugar
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a standard 12-count muffin tin with paper liners.
Whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and ground ginger in a medium bowl. Set that aside for a few minutes.
Beat the eggs, sugar, and brown sugar in a large bowl. Stir in the oil, vanilla, pineapple, carrots, and, if desired, walnuts.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir just until combined and evenly moistened. Fill the cupcake liners about four-fifths of the way up with batter.
Bake for 25-27 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Cool the cupcakes completely on wire racks before frosting them.
Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or a handheld mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy. Add the vanilla extract and beat just until incorporated. Gradually add the powdered sugar and beat on medium until the frosting is creamy. Add enough powdered to make it thick enough to pipe.
Spoon the frosting into a piping bag and pipe it on the cupcakes after they are completely cool. If desired, sprinkle with chopped walnuts.
Notes
This is a small batch recipe that makes 12 cupcakes.
Always preheat the oven and load the cupcakes on the middle rack in the center of the oven.
For best results, use cupcake liners so they don't stick.
Peel your carrots first and use an old-fashioned box grater to grate the carrots. It is really a matter of preference what size grate you would like to use. With cupcakes, I use the small grater blade.
Other nuts that you might consider substituting or adding include pecans, hazelnuts, almonds, pistachios, or macadamia nuts. If you don't like nuts try raisins.
Plan in advance and soften the cream cheese and butter for the frosting.
If you chose not to pipe on the frosting, then cut the frosting ingredients in half. You will not need that much if frosting the cupcakes with a knife.
Store the cupcakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.