These Super Moist Carrot Cake Cupcakes are light and tender with a hint of cinnamon and plenty of finely grated carrots. Topped with smooth cream cheese frosting and a sprinkle of chopped walnuts, they make a perfect spring or Easter dessert.
Alongside favorite spring treats like Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Eggs, Easter Bunny Cut-Out Sugar Cookies, and Single Layer Carrot Cake, these carrot cake cupcakes are bright, comforting, and easy to share. They combine the natural sweetness and moisture of grated carrots with warm cinnamon and a tender crumb. Finish them with classic cream cheese frosting and chopped nuts for texture and a lovely presentation.
Table of Contents
- Ingredients Needed
- Frosting Ingredients
- How to Make the Recipe
- Decorating
- Recipe FAQs
- More Cupcake Recipes to Enjoy!
- Carrot Cake Cupcakes Recipe
Ingredients Needed
To make these moist carrot cake cupcakes, gather the following:
- All-Purpose Flour
- Baking Soda
- Ground Cinnamon (I used Vietnamese cinnamon)
- Salt
- Vegetable Oil for moisture
- Granulated Sugar
- Unsweetened Applesauce for extra tenderness
- Eggs (2 large)
- Carrots, finely grated (about 1 1/2 cups; 2 large or 3 medium carrots)
- Chopped Walnuts (optional topping; 1/2 cup if folding into batter)
See the recipe card below for exact quantities and full instructions.
Frosting Ingredients
For the cream cheese frosting you will need:
- Unsalted Butter, room temperature
- Cream Cheese, block style, room temperature
- Vanilla Extract
- Powdered Sugar (sifted if desired for a smooth, pipeable frosting)
How to Make the Recipe
Here’s a concise overview of the process. Full steps and measurements appear in the recipe card below.
- Preheat and prep. Position the oven rack just above center and preheat to 350°F. Line cupcake tins with liners.
- Whisk dry ingredients. Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl.
- Mix wet ingredients. Whisk vegetable oil and granulated sugar, then add applesauce and eggs. Stir in the finely grated carrots.
- Combine. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet, mixing just until combined. Avoid overmixing.
- Scoop and bake. Using a 1 1/2 tablespoon scoop, fill liners about 3/4 full. Bake at 350°F for 20–22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool and frost. Let cupcakes cool in the pan for a few minutes, transfer to a rack to cool completely, then frost with cream cheese frosting and top with walnuts if desired.
Decorating
You can spread frosting with an offset spatula or pipe it using a large piping bag and an open decorating tip. Tools that work well:
- Large piping bag (14–16 inch)
- Large open decorating tip (Wilton 1A works well)
- Offset spatula for smooth tops
Depending on how thickly you pipe the frosting, you may have extra. If you prefer a lighter coat of frosting, you can halve the frosting recipe.
Recipe FAQs
Wavy cupcake liners from Wilton were used, but standard liners will work if you can’t find them.
A Wilton 1A open decorating tip was used with a large piping bag for the swirled frosting.
Yes. Freeze unfrosted cupcakes in a sealed container. If frosted, store in the refrigerator for up to 4–5 days.
More Cupcake Recipes to Enjoy!
Devil’s Food Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting
Small Batch Chocolate Cupcakes
Mint Chocolate Cupcakes
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes
If you tried this Carrot Cake Cupcakes Recipe, please leave a star rating and share your thoughts in the comments. Thanks for visiting!
Carrot Cake Cupcakes
Ingredients
carrot cake cupcakes
- 1 cup All-Purpose Flour
- 1 tsp Baking Soda
- 1 tsp Cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 1/4 cup Vegetable Oil
- 1 cup Granulated Sugar
- 1/4 cup Unsweetened Applesauce
- 2 Large Eggs, room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups Carrots, finely grated
- 1/2 cup Chopped Walnuts, optional
cream cheese frosting
- 1/2 cup Unsalted Butter, room temperature
- 8 oz Cream Cheese, room temperature
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 4 cups Powdered Sugar, sifted if desired
Instructions
carrot cake cupcakes
- Adjust the oven rack to the second position (just above center) and preheat oven to 350ºF. Line two cupcake tins with liners.
- Whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt; set aside.
- Finely grate the carrots (about 1 1/2 cups total).
- In a separate bowl, whisk oil and granulated sugar. Add applesauce and eggs, scraping the bowl as needed.
- Fold in the dry mixture until nearly combined, then fold in the grated carrots. Do not overmix.
- Using a 1 1/2 tablespoon scoop, fill liners three-quarters full. Place tins in the oven (the second tin may only hold a few cupcakes).
- Bake 20–22 minutes at 350ºF or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool 5 minutes in the tins, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
- Frost cooled cupcakes with cream cheese frosting using an offset spatula or a piping bag with a Wilton 1A tip. Top with optional chopped walnuts.
cream cheese frosting
- Beat unsalted butter and cream cheese together on medium-high until smooth and creamy. Add vanilla.
- Reduce mixer speed to low and add powdered sugar one cup at a time until fully mixed. Add more powdered sugar if a thicker consistency is desired.
Video
Notes
- 1 1/2 cups finely grated carrots is roughly 2 large or 3 medium carrots.
- If you plan to pipe a thin layer of frosting, you can halve the frosting recipe. For a thick swirl, the full amount yields extra to cover all cupcakes.
- This version was updated March 30, 2022 and adapted from a community recipe collection.
Nutrition
Carbohydrates: 55 g |
Protein: 3 g |
Fat: 18 g |
Saturated Fat: 8 g |
Fiber: 1 g |
Sugar: 46 g
Nutritional information is an estimate and will vary based on ingredients used.