Carrot Cake Cupcakes

Carrot cake cupcakes are loaded with fresh carrots and roasted pecans, plus topped with the best cream cheese frosting. They are easy to make and perfect for spring or Easter!

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time: 30

Cook Time: 15

Total Time: 45

Servings: cupcakes

Equipment

12-count muffin pan
12 cupcake liners
piping bag and piping tip

Ingredients

1 cup fresh-grated carrots
½ cup pecans, finely chopped
1 and ¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ cup vegetable oil
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup brown sugar, packed
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup full-fat sour cream

Cream cheese frosting:

1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, full-fat, softened to room temperature
½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick), softened to room temperature
3 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 225°F.
Spread the pecans out on a baking sheet and roast in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and finely chop once cooled. (You can also use pre-chopped or pecan pieces)
Peel the carrots and grate using the large holes on a box grater.
Increase the oven temperature to 350°F. Line a 12-count muffin pan with cupcake liners and lightly spray the inside of each liner with non-stick spray.
In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and ground nutmeg. In a larger bowl, whisk the vegetable oil, both sugars, room temperature eggs, vanilla extract, and sour cream. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Add the dry ingredients and whisk until smooth. Stir in the chopped pecans and the grated carrots.
Scoop the batter evenly into the cupcake liners, filling each about ¾ of the way up. Tap the pan on the counter a few times to release any trapped air bubbles.
Bake the cupcakes for 15-17 minutes. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean. Let cool in the pan and then cool completely in the fridge before frosting.

Make the cream cheese frosting:

In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and softened butter until smooth with no lumps. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and salt, and mix until smooth and creamy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.
Frost the cupcakes as desired with a piping bag and a piping tip. See the post for a step-by-step visual on how to pipe a classic swirl-frosted cupcake.

Notes

HOW TO STORE & FREEZE CUPCAKES:

Frosted cupcakes stay fresh in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 days, or in the fridge for 1 week.

To freeze the cupcakes (unfrosted): Once the cupcakes have cooled, arrange them on a baking pan in a single layer and set the pan in the freezer for 1 hour or until the cupcakes are solid. Add them to a large plastic bag and keep frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and frost as normal.

To freeze cupcake batter: Add the batter to the cupcake liners in the muffin pan. Set the pan flat in the freezer until the batter is completely frozen solid. Remove the batter-filled cupcake liners from the pan and add them to a large plastic bag. Keep frozen for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to bake the cupcakes, add the batter-filled liners to the muffin pan and bake in a 350°F oven, a few minutes longer than the normal bake time, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

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