Carrot Cake Cupcakes
These Carrot Cake Cupcakes are soft, moist, and packed with freshly grated carrots, warm spices, and rich brown sugar flavor. Topped with a tangy cinnamon cream cheese frosting, they deliver all the comforting taste of a classic carrot cake in an easy-to-serve cupcake form. Perfect for Easter, birthdays, baby showers, holiday dessert tables, or everyday baking, these cupcakes stay moist for days and can be made ahead for stress-free entertaining.
Servings 12 cupcakes
Calories 420kcal
Cost $9 for entire recipe
Equipment
- 12-cup muffin pan
- Cupcake liners
- Large mixing bowl
- Medium mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Rubber spatula
- Box grater or food processor with grating attachment
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Electric hand mixer or stand mixer
- wire cooling rack
- Ice cream scoop or cookie scoop (for evenly portioning batter)
- Piping bag and large star tip (optional, for frosting)
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour 188g
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1¾ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- ¼ cup granulated sugar 50g
- ¾ cup packed light brown sugar 150g
- 1 tablespoon molasses optional
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ½ cup sour cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1¾ cups finely grated carrots about 270g
Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 2½ cups powdered sugar 300g
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar, molasses, vegetable oil, sour cream, and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir just until combined.
- Fold in the grated carrots until evenly distributed.
- Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake liners, filling each about two-thirds full.
- Bake for 19–22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached.
- Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely.
Frosting
- Beat the cream cheese and butter together until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes.
- Add the vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt. Beat until combined.
- Gradually add the powdered sugar and continue beating until smooth and creamy.
- Pipe or spread the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes.
Notes
Why These Carrot Cake Cupcakes Are So Moist
One of the secrets to incredibly moist carrot cake cupcakes is the combination of freshly grated carrots, vegetable oil, and sour cream. Unlike butter-based cakes, oil helps the cupcakes stay soft and tender for days, while sour cream adds richness and creates a delicate crumb. The carrots also release moisture as they bake, resulting in cupcakes that are flavorful and never dry.Use Freshly Grated Carrots
For the best texture and flavor, grate whole carrots yourself rather than using pre-shredded carrots from the grocery store. Pre-shredded carrots are often thicker, drier, and less flavorful. Finely grated carrots blend into the batter more easily and help create the soft, bakery-style texture that makes carrot cake cupcakes so popular.The Secret to Great Carrot Cake Flavor
A blend of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves gives these cupcakes their classic warm spice flavor. The optional tablespoon of molasses adds an extra layer of richness that complements the brown sugar and spices beautifully. It is a simple ingredient that can make homemade carrot cake cupcakes taste even more like those from a professional bakery.Don't Overmix the Batter
Once the dry ingredients are added to the wet ingredients, mix only until combined. Overmixing develops gluten in the flour, which can make cupcakes dense and tough. A few small streaks of flour are perfectly fine before folding in the carrots.Tips for Perfect Cream Cheese Frosting
Make sure the cream cheese and butter are fully softened before mixing. This helps create a smooth, creamy frosting without lumps. If the frosting seems too soft, chill it for 15–20 minutes before piping. For a bakery-style finish, use a large star piping tip and garnish with chopped pecans or a light sprinkle of cinnamon.Optional Add-Ins and Variations
These carrot cake cupcakes are delicious on their own, but you can customize them with a variety of mix-ins. Try adding toasted pecans, walnuts, raisins, shredded coconut, or well-drained crushed pineapple for additional flavor and texture. Keep the total add-ins to about ½ cup to maintain the best cupcake structure.Storage and Freshness Tips
Store frosted cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Because of the cream cheese frosting, refrigeration is recommended. Before serving, allow the cupcakes to sit at room temperature for 20–30 minutes so the frosting softens and the flavors can fully develop.Make-Ahead Instructions
The cupcakes can be baked up to 2 days in advance and stored unfrosted in an airtight container. Cream cheese frosting can also be prepared ahead of time and refrigerated for up to 3 days. Frost the cupcakes shortly before serving for the freshest presentation.Quick Success Tips
- Use freshly grated carrots for the best moisture and flavor.
- Bring eggs, sour cream, cream cheese, and butter to room temperature.
- Measure flour correctly using the spoon-and-level method.
- Fill cupcake liners about two-thirds full.
- Cool cupcakes completely before frosting.
- Toast nuts before adding them for deeper flavor.