Homemade Carrot Cake Cupcakes have an amazing texture and fresh carrot flavor. These cupcakes have a soft and moist crumb studded with pecans, raisins, and plenty of tender carrots, and you’ll love the Cream Cheese Frosting. This will become your go-to Carrot Cupcake recipe. Watch the video tutorial and see how easy it is.
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.
Helpful Reader Review
“These are absolutely fantastic and as simple to make as shown. So simple that I was skeptical of flavor and quality. I made a pre Easter dry run. Wow! 4 more batches in 4 days as I was so excited I had to share. Moist, not wet or spongy. Great density and crumb… The frosting you paired with it was to die for.” – Laura ★★★★★
Carrot Cake Cupcakes Video
This recipe is so easy to make – all you need is a bowl and a whisk. There’s no stand mixer required here. Watch the video tutorial and you’ll be on your way to making the best Carrot Cake Cupcakes.
Carrot Cake Cupcake Recipe
If you’re a fan of Carrot Cake, you’ll love these darling Carrot Cake Cupcakes! It’s actually the same batter, so yes, you could make a cake out of this! They are quick and easy to make with a memorable spiced flavor. The kids always get excited when I make these for Easter!
My Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe is the most popular frosting choice for carrot cake because it’s not as sweet as Buttercream, and the cream cheese adds a great layer of flavor. It’s thick, fluffy, and pipes beautifully. It’s also the same frosting I used for my famous Red Velvet Cake. To make the cute frosting carrot on top, I just tinted the same frosting because it’s sturdy enough to add color.
Ingredients for Carrot Cupcakes
This recipe is truly easy, so don’t be intimidated by the list of ingredients (it’s mostly fun spices you probably already have).
- All-purpose flour – just regular flour, not self-rising
- Sugar – we use granulated sugar to sweeten
- Baking soda and baking powder – two leaveners give these cupcakes rise
- Spices: salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves (you can mix and match or omit something like cloves if you don’t have it on hand)
- Oil – use a neutral oil like extra light olive oil, vegetable oil, or canola oil. I prefer oil over butter because the cupcakes don’t firm up in the fridge, and it’s the secret to moist cupcakes! It also keeps the cupcake base dairy-free.
- Eggs – make sure they are at room temperature
- Applesauce – adds moisture and natural sweetness to the cupcakes. You can substitute with crushed pineapple.
- Carrots – from 2 medium-large carrots. Make sure they are finely grated for even baking.
- Pecans & Raisins – I call these optional, but I always add them for added flavor and texture. You can substitute with chopped walnuts or any color of raisins.
Helpful Reader Review
“I made these a few days ago, but omitted the nuts and raisins because I’m not a fan. They still came out amazing and were gone within a day.” – Emily ★★★★★
Tools for Easy Carrot Cupcakes
These tools will make your cupcake process (and baking in general) easier. For the carrot, you can get creative and use different piping tips to make it work, or even omit the carrot altogether if you want a beautifully frosted cupcake. You can also sprinkle chopped nuts over the top for decoration.
- Cupcake Pans
- Parchment Baking Cups
- Disposable piping bags
- For piping green leaves: Wilton 32
- For piping carrot: Wilton 2A
- Frosting piping tip: Wilton 1M
- Gel colors – great starter set
- Box grater – you’ll need the small holes
What is the best way to grate carrots for carrot cake?
Use the fine holes on the box grater to grate the carrots finely. This will allow the carrot to incorporate into the batter easily and add moisture and tons of carrot flavor.
How to Make Carrot Cake Cupcakes
- Prep – Preheat oven to 350˚F and line 18 count muffin pans with cupcake liners. Set out Cream Cheese Frosting ingredients to bring to room temperature.
- Dry Ingredients – In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves (if using), and salt.
- Add wet ingredients – right into the same bowl, whisk in oil, eggs and applesauce until combined.
- Fold in grated carrots, chopped nuts and raisins, stirring just until incorporated. Don’t overmix which can develop gluten, making cupcakes dense.
- Divide batter into prepared cupcake liners, filling each about 2/3 full. Bake for 20 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool 3-5 minutes in the pans then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
Pro Tip:
Let the cupcakes cool completely to room temperature before applying the frosting, otherwise the heat from the cupcake will cause the frosting to melt and slide off the cupcake.
Can I make mini carrot cake cupcakes?
Yes, this recipe will make about 36 mini cupcakes. Bake for 12-13 minutes at 350˚F.
Make-Ahead and Storage Tips
- Unfrosted cupcakes – Bake up to 3 days ahead of time. Store at room temperature for 1-2 days, or refrigerate up to 3 days or freeze up to 2 months.
- Storing Frosted Cupcakes: Once the cupcakes are frosted, you can keep them at room temperature for a couple of hours, then cover and refrigerate for 3-4 days. You can keep them at room temperature for up to 4 hours if they are coming out of the refrigerator.
These Carrot Cake Cupcakes are so moist and satisfying. They have a ton of flavor from the carrot-packed crumb to the amazing frosting on top. If these show up on your Easter or Spring menu, I hope you share a photo and tag me so I can see your beautiful creations.
Carrot Cake Cupcakes
Ingredients
- 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour, *measured correctly
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp ground allspice
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves, optional
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 2/3 cup vegetable oil or extra light olive oil
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1/2 cup applesauce
- 1 1/2 cups finely grated and peeled carrots, from 2 medium carrots
- 1 cup pecans or walnuts, finely chopped, optional
- 1/2 cup golden raisins, or regular raisins, optional
Instructions
To Make Carrot Cake Cupcakes:
- Preheat oven to 350 F and line muffin tins with 18 liners. Set out your frosting ingredients to bring to room temperature.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, allspice and salt. Whisk together.
- Whisk in vegetable oil, eggs, and applesauce, stirring until well combined.
- Using a spatula, fold in grated carrots, chopped nuts and raisins. Fold just until ingredients are incorporated into the batter.
- Divide the batter evenly between 18 cupcake liners, filling about 2/3 full. Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in pans for 3-5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and cool completely to room temperature before adding Cream Cheese Frosting.
Notes
- Make cream cheese frosting. Add about 3/4 cup frosting to 2 small bowls. Add orange food coloring to one and green food coloring to the other, adding just enough to reach your desired color.
- Transfer remaining white frosting to a piping bag fitted with a large open star tip Wilton 1M and pipe over your cooled cupcakes.
- Transfer tinted frosting to piping bags fitted with a small open star tip Wilton 32 and another bag fitted with a large round tip Wilton 2A.
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
More Cupcake Recipes to try
- Chocolate Cupcakes
- Perfect Vanilla Cupcakes
- Pumpkin Cupcakes
- Cupcake Frosting
- Greek Yogurt Cupcakes
- Mini Chocolate Cupcakes
- Chocolate Chip Muffins
- Cinnamon Muffins
perfection! I love baking with Natasha’s recipe because it’s a guaranteed success! someone was watching me make the muffins and said, Don’t you think that’s too much cinnamon and I told her Natasha never let me down yet!! its moist, fluffy, and the perfect carrot muffin
I haven’t tried this recipe yet bc I don’t have apple sauce, do you have to use it?
Hi Teresa! It adds moisture and natural sweetness to the cupcakes. You can substitute with crushed pineapple but I don’t recommend skipping it.
I made them without apple sauce and it turned out fine
Can’t wait to try your recipe. I saw Sharkey grab a cupcake at 7:52 and 9:14, and I am grateful to you for sharing.
Thank you for watching! I hope you love this recipe!
Hello Natasha,
Can you make this in bundt cake form? If so, what size bundt cake pan would I use and what temp?
I really love trying your receipes. You are definitely my go to.
Thanks
Hi Karen, I personally have not tried this in a bundt pan to advise. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.
Hi Natasha, can these be stored at room temperature or do they need to be refrigerated? Thank you!!
Hi Lena! Because the frosting has cream cheese, it needs to be refrigerated.
Hi, Natasha,
I made these smaller cupcakes with 1/2 cup of drained crushed pineapple, and they turned out beautifully with rave reviews! I saved some unfrosted to freeze and reintroduce to family at Thanksgiving. Thanks for making me look so good 🙂
Hi Cathy! I’m so glad they were a hit. Thanks for sharing.
shark was on your hand when you lifted the cupcake to taste!
Hi, Natasha,
How much of the crushed pineapple instead of the applesauce for the cupcakes? I want to make them for my study group this coming Wednesday. Oct 23, 2024.
Thanks so much!
Hi Cathy! Use an equal amount, 1:1 ratio. I hope you love the recipe!
OMG, I am delighted you replied to my question! I will make these tomorrow and let you know the results.
Blessings,
Cathy
Hey, these were just scrumptious!! Thank you so much.
You’re very welcome, Ava!
i made these cupcakes with my baking class they turned out really good
Fantastic muffins moist delicious fool proof love the fact olive oil is used always my go to for family and friends thanks Natasha you never fail
Hello Natasha…I have made your carrot cake for my family and they absolutely love it. Have you ever made the cupcakes eggless? If yes what is the substitute for eggs
Thanks,
Meera
Trinidad & Tobago
I’m so glad you love this recipe! I have not tested an eggless substitute.
These are fantastic, grandkid’s approved (they are the worst critics)
They were enjoyed by the whole family.
Thank you Natasha!!!
That’s wonderful, Palma!
Hey Natasha, I hope this evening finds you doing well.
I made the cupcakes with your cream cheese frosting, they are delish!! My daughter, who is picky about buttercream frosting texted me and said, “Oh my goodness, that icing. 🤌”
Thank you for yet another fantastic recipe!! 🥰
You’re so very welcome, Susan! I’m so glad they were enjoyed.
I don’t put the raisins in because I don’t like them, but I keep going back to the recipe because it’s just the best!
So glad to hear that. Thank you for the feedback.
I just finished making these cupcakes and they turned out FABULOUS!! Kids aren’t crazy about nuts so I chopped them up fine in a small food processor and they shall never know. I’m typically a cook, not a baker. Can’t believe I just baked something and pulled it off. Thank you, a hundred times over. You are making me look good. I’m so happy
I’m so glad you gave it a try and everyone loved it, Barbara! That’s just awesome!
Do you have a recipe for red velvet cupcakes? I’m having a difficult time finding a recipe that doesn’t require $70 in materials..
Hi Greg, I don’t have a Red Velvet Cupcake recipe, but I do have a Red Velvet Cake Recipe.
Natasha,
You said the cupcakes are “adorbs” and my girls call them “aa door rob lay” or adorablay.
That makes you way cooler when you speak kid jive!
Haha! I love that. Thank you.
Cinnamon and spice taste was overpowering in this receipe. I would reduce the spice flavors
Hi! Thank you for the feedback. You can definitely reduce them to your preference. You may enjoy my carrot cake recipe HERE which does not have the spices. 🙂
WOW thank you Natasha for the best carrot cake recipe, we did the cake not the cupcakes, so so very good & simple, hubby said,’ keep that recipe’ I’ve ck’d other recipes but a bit too much, thi one is simple & delicious, Thank you,
Hi Rebecca! I’m so glad you loved it. Thank you for the wonderful feedback.
Really yummy! I used OliveNation’s vanilla extract and it made this recipe taste so good! It has more of a vanilla taste than an alcoholic taste. Huge game changer.
Hi Kourtney! Thats great to hear. Thank you for sharing.