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Carrots and cinnamon combine in moist and delicious Carrot Cake Cupcakes topped with to die for cream cheese frosting and nuts.  Delicious!

Closeup on four Carrot Cake Cupcakes frosted with Cream Cheese Frosting sitting on a white table in front of a bowl of cream cheese frosting, a cupcake tin full of cupcakes and a ramekin full of nuts.

What is it about Spring that makes me long for carrot cake?  But what to do when you don’t have time to make a cake?  Don’t worry, Two Sisters has you covered.  The next time you’re craving the taste of carrots and cinnamon in a moist and delicious cake topped with cream cheese frosting make these Carrot Cake Cupcakes instead.   Same amazing taste but you’ll spend a lot less time in the kitchen. And boy are these cupcakes pretty. They will be the star of any dessert table we promise. 

Ingredients You Will Need

All the ingredients you will need to make Carrot Cake Cupcakes including flour, sugar, brown sugar, carrots, eggs, canola oil, chopped pecans and spices.

How to Make the Cupcake Batter

Collage image showing the steps for mixing the dry ingredients.

Step 1:  Add all of the dry ingredients (sugars, flour, spices, baking powder, and baking soda) to the mixing bowl.
Step 2:  Stir with a fork until the ingredients are thoroughly mixed. Set bowl aside.

Collage image showing the steps for making the cupcake batter.

Step 3: Peel and chop/grate the carrots. Add to a second mixing bowl. Add eggs and oil.
Step 4: Mix until frothy.
Step 5:  Add the dry ingredients to the bowl.
Step 6: Stir until the ingredients are completely combined.

Baking Instructions

Collage image showing the steps for baking the Carrot Cake Cupcakes.

Steps 7-8: Pour the Carrot Cake Cupcake batter into the cupcake liners.
Step 9:  Do not fill more that 3/4 full.
Step 10: Bake the cupcakes in a 350 for 27 minutes.

How to Make the Cream Cheese Frosting

Closeup on a glass bowl filled with homemade Cream Cheese Frosting.

Step 11: While the cupcakes are baking, make a double batch of our delicious The Best Cream Cheese Frosting.  You can find the recipe and detailed instructions for making this yummy frosting right here. 

How to Frost the Cupcakes

Collage image showing how to frost the carrot cake cupcake with a swirl of homemade Cream Cheese Frosting.

Step 12:  Allow the cupcakes to completely cool before you begin to frost them.
Step 13:  With the decorating bag and the 1M tip, made a small tower of Cream Cheese Frosting in the middle of the cupcake. Cream Cheese is a “wet” frosting and the swirl needs a little bit of a foundation like this to keep it from collapsing.
Step 14:  Place the frosting tip at the outside edge of the cupcake.  Move the frosting tip along the outside edge of the cupcake in a counter-clockwise motion.  Once you make a complete circle start your next circle on top of the one you have already done, making each circle smaller as you go up. 
Step 15: End with a small flourish at the top of the cupcake.  If you still need some help click here to find a short video where we show you How to Frost Cupcakes.

Carrot Cake Cupcake sitting on a white table next to a decorating bag filled with cream cheese frosting, a glass bowl filled with frosting and a ramekin filled with chopped nuts.

Step 16: Add the chopped pecans or walnuts around the base of the frosting swirl.

More Cupcake Decorating Ideas

Collage image showing a second way to decorate the cupcakes by adding a edible carrot decoration made from candy melts.

If you want to take these delicious Carrot Cake Cupcakes to the next level decorating-wise, add a candy carrot to the top of the cupcake.  First, while the cupcakes are baking, melt orange and green Wilton Candy Melts in plastic baggies.  On a piece of parchment paper make these candy carrots to top the cupcakes (see picture above). When they have hardened, add the adorable edible carrot to the top of the frosting swirl. So pretty and special!

Closeup on a collection of homemade Carrot Cake Cupcakes sitting on a white table in front of a cupcake tin filled with unfrosted carrot cake cupcakes.

Other Cupcakes Recipes You Will Love

Did you Make This Recipe? Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @twosisterscrafting on Instagram so we can see it!

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Carrot Cake CupcakesPrint

Carrot Cake Cupcakes

Yield 24 Cupcakes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 27 minutes
Additional Time 15 minutes
Total Time 52 minutes

Carrots and cinnamon combine in a moist and delicious Carrot Cake Cupcake topped with to die for cream cheese frosting and nuts.  Delicious!

Ingredients

  • 2 cups All-Purpose Flour
  • 1 ½ cups Granulated Sugar
  • ½ cup Brown Sugar (packed)
  • 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
  • 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
  • 2 teaspoons Cinnamon
  • 3 cups Chopped Carrots
  • 1 cup Oil
  • 4 Large Eggs
  • 2 batches of our The Best Cream Cheese Frosting
  • 1-2 cups Chopped Pecans or Walnuts
  • Wilton Candy Melts - Orange, Green (optional)

Instructions

  1. Add all of the dry ingredients (sugars, flour, spices, baking powder, and baking soda) to the mixing bowl.
  2. Stir with a fork until the ingredients are thoroughly mixed. Set bowl aside.
  3. Peel and chop/grate the carrots. Add to a second mixing bowl. Add eggs and oil.
  4. Mix until frothy.
  5. Add the dry ingredients to the bowl.
  6. Stir until the ingredients are completely combined.
  7. Pour the Carrot Cake Cupcake batter into the cupcake liners.
  8. Do not fill more that 3/4 full.
  9. Bake the cupcakes in a 350 for 27 minutes.
  10. While the cupcakes are baking, make a double batch of our delicious The Best Cream Cheese Frosting.  You can find the recipe and detailed instructions for making this yummy frosting right here. 
  11. Allow the cupcakes to completely cool before you begin to frost them.
  12. With the decorating bag and the 1M tip, made a small tower of Cream Cheese Frosting in the middle of the cupcake. Cream Cheese is a "wet" frosting and the swirl needs a little bit of a foundation like this to keep it from collapsing.
  13. Place the frosting tip at the outside edge of the cupcake.  Move the frosting tip along the outside edge of the cupcake in a counter-clockwise motion.  Once you make a complete circle start your next circle on top of the one you have already done, making each circle smaller as you go up.
  14. End with a small flourish at the top of the cupcake.  If you still need some help click here to find a short video where we show you How to Frost Cupcakes.
  15. Add the chopped pecans or walnuts around the base of the frosting swirl.

Did you Make this Recipe? Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @twosisterscrafting on Instagram so we can see it!

© Two Sisters Crafting
Cuisine: American / Category: Cupcakes