Description
Delightfully moist and flavorful Carrot Cake Cupcakes topped with a smooth and tangy cream cheese frosting. Featuring warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice, these cupcakes are a perfect treat for dessert or special occasions. Optional pecans add a lovely crunch, while the cream cheese frosting provides a luscious finishing touch.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp ground allspice
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- â…› tsp ground cloves (optional)
Wet Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups dark brown sugar
- ¾ cup sour cream
- ½ cup white sugar
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 4 large eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 cups freshly grated carrots
- 1 cup chopped pecans (optional)
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 2 cups confectioners’ sugar (or to taste)
Instructions
- Preheat & Prepare: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a muffin tin with 18 cupcake liners to ensure easy removal and uniform baking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, sift together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, allspice, salt, nutmeg, and cloves (if using). This ensures the spices and leavening agents are evenly distributed throughout the batter.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the dark brown sugar, sour cream, white sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
- Combine & Fold: Gradually add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, stirring gently just until combined. Avoid overmixing to keep the cupcakes tender. Then fold in the freshly grated carrots and the optional chopped pecans evenly into the batter.
- Fill & Bake: Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake liners, filling each about two-thirds full to allow for rising. Bake in the preheated oven for 17-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
- Cool: Allow the cupcakes to cool in the muffin tin for about 10 minutes. Then transfer them to a wire rack and let cool completely to room temperature before frosting.
- Make the Frosting: Beat together the softened cream cheese, unsalted butter, vanilla extract, and lemon juice until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the confectioners’ sugar, adjusting to your preferred sweetness and frosting consistency.
- Frost & Serve: Once the cupcakes are fully cooled, either spread or pipe the cream cheese frosting on top. Serve and enjoy your delicious carrot cake cupcakes with cream cheese frosting!
Notes
- Grate the carrots finely for a smoother texture, but some larger shreds can add nice moisture and chew.
- Pecans are optional but add a great crunch and flavor contrast.
- Ensure the cupcakes are completely cool before frosting to prevent the frosting from melting.
- You can store the cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- For a dairy-free version, consider substituting the sour cream and cream cheese with plant-based alternatives.
