Perfectly spiced, tender Carrot Cupcakes capped with a luscious whipped Buttermilk Cream Cheese Frosting that are edged with toasted nuts, and piped mini carrots with stems. Entirely easy to do, you may just find yourself making this treat not just for a special occasion but simply for fun, any day of the year!
Though carrot cupcakes can be eaten any time of the year, in many homes, it’s also widely considered a traditional treat twice a year, Easter and Thanksgiving. Coincidentally, carrots have two peak harvest seasons, spring and fall. And with Easter around the corner, we’ll soon see holiday décor of carrots enjoyed by fluffy bunnies and fuzzy chicks with speckled eggs.
A little food for thought… have you ever wondered why chicks, eggs, bunnies and carrots are popular during Easter? According to History, it’s said it symbolizes spring thus, new life and fertility – with rabbits known to be prolific procreators. I thought this tidbit was interesting; just had to share. But enough about that, let’s talk cupcakes!
I cannot get over these carrot cupcakes! They are seriously some of the best I’ve had!
With my fair share of trying a variety of carrot cakes, I could never find the perfect combination of texture and flavor with a touch of sweetness the way I liked. That is, until five years ago when I made this carrot sheet cake. Since then, I’ve become somewhat of a snob with the idea that mine is the best. Gotta admit, still think so but that’s only because I make it exactly how I like it. So much so, I had to turn that sheet cake into cupcakes!
How to Make Carrot Cupcakes
The images below show what varying steps look like during the process of making the cupcakes. For full instructions, see the recipe card toward the bottom of this post.
The good thing about this flavor is how easy add-ins (meaning any added ingredient after the batter is made) can be tailored to fit one’s preference. While some carrot recipes call for raisins others do not, some are sweetened with pineapple and/or honey whereas others avoid it, and some have walnuts or pecans. These are just a few variations that can drastically change the texture and flavor. Although this recipe doesn’t have (for example) raisins, because it’s considered as an add-in ingredient, feel free to add them in step 4 of the recipe instructions.
Bottom line, the cake portion of this dessert will be THE softest, most tender carrot cupcakes that are perfectly spiced! And let’s not forget its unique frosting. This is equally as important.
Much like how red velvet cake goes hand-in-hand with cream cheese frosting, the same applies for carrot cupcakes. The only exception to this frosting is a single special ingredient, buttermilk powder. Mixed with vanilla, it helps cut down some of the tang from the cream cheese, awarding a luscious buttery mouthfeel. Subsequently, it also has a soft, whipped-like consistency making it easy to pipe those tiny cute carrots with stems.
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Carrot Cupcakes
- Total Time: 2 hours
- Yield: 16 cupcakes 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Perfectly spiced, tender Carrot Cupcakes capped with a luscious whipped Buttermilk Cream Cheese Frosting that are edged with toasted nuts, and piped mini carrots with stems. Entirely easy to do, you may just find yourself making this treat not just for a special occasion but simply for fun, any day of the year!
Ingredients
CARROT CUPCAKES
- 1 1/4 cups (150 grams) all purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup (55 grams) brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (120 grams) vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup (57 grams) sour cream
- 1 large egg (50 grams)
- 1 large egg yolk (15 grams)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups (165 grams) carrots (3 medium), shredded
- 1/2 cup (56 grams) walnuts or pecans, chopped and toasted
BUTTERMILK CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
- 1 1/2 cups (173 grams) powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 1/2 tablespoons (14 grams) buttermilk powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract
- pinch of salt
- 4 ounces (113 grams) cream cheese, room temperature
- 1/2 cup (56 grams) walnuts or pecans, chopped and toasted
OTHER
Instructions
- CUPCAKES: Heat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line 16 cupcake wells with a cupcake liner; set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and cloves; set aside.
- Using an electric mixer or a large bowl fitted to a stand mixer with the paddle attachment on low to medium speed, beat granulated sugar, brown sugar, oil, sour cream, eggs and vanilla until just combined and no lumps remain.
- Slowly add in the flour mixture and continue to mix on low to medium speed until just combined. Fold in the carrots and nuts and mix until evenly incorporated into the batter. Fill each cupcake liner about 3/4 full of batter which is about 1/4 cup.
- Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few dry crumbs. Let cupcakes rest in the pan for 1 minute before carefully removing them onto a wire rack to cool to room temperature.
- FROSTING: Meanwhile, in a large bowl using an electric mixer on low to medium speed, mix powdered sugar and butter until light in color and creamy. Add buttermilk powder, vanilla and salt and mix until smooth. Add cream cheese and continue to mix on medium speed until frosting is smooth and no lumps of cheese remain.
- Into 2 small bowls, separate 1/3 cup of frosting into each bowl. In one bowl, place a drop of orange food gel color and mix thoroughly until the frosting becomes orange. In the other bowl, place a drop of green food gel color and mix thoroughly until the frosting becomes green.
- ASSEMBLY: Fill a pastry bag with orange frosting fitted with an Ateco #4 round tip and coupler set. In a second pastry bag, fill with green frosting fitted with an Ateco #2 round tip and coupler set. From the open end of each pastry bag, twist tight to seal in the frosting and set aside.
- Once the cupcakes have cooled to room temperature, evenly spread the uncolored frosting over the tops of each cupcake. Sprinkle nuts around the sides. Pipe a narrow upside-down triangle of orange frosting; this will be the carrot. Using the green frosting, pipe a few lines coming from the wide end of the piped “carrot” to make the “stems” and ENJOY!
Notes
To toast nuts, heat oven at 200°F (95°C). Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Evenly spread chopped nuts and bake for 10 mins. Nuts should be dry, crisp and give a nutty aroma.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Cupcakes
- Cuisine: American
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