Carrot Cake Cupcakes
Spiced carrot and walnut cupcakes made with oil for a moist crumb, topped with a swirl of cream cheese frosting.
Before You Start
Grate the carrot finely.
Cool the cupcakes fully before frosting.
If your oven runs hot, check at 16 minutes.
Use cold cream cheese straight from the fridge for a firm frosting.
How to Make Carrot Cake Cupcakes
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Heat the oven to 180°C / 355°F and line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cases.
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Whisk the brown sugar, eggs and oil for 2 minutes until thick. Stir in the carrot.
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Fold in the flour, baking powder, spices and salt, then the walnuts, until no dry flour shows.
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Fill the cases two-thirds full and bake for 20 minutes until a skewer comes out clean. Cool completely.
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Beat the cream cheese, butter and icing sugar until smooth and swirl onto the cupcakes.
What's Going On Here
Flour, sugar, eggs, oil, carrot: five things you probably own, and a cupcake that stays moist for days. The carrot is mostly water, so it keeps the crumb soft from the inside.
Grate it on the fine side of the grater. Coarse shreds leave wet streaks, while fine ones disappear into the batter. Use oil rather than butter. Oil stays liquid when cold, so the cupcakes do not firm up in the fridge.
Whisk the sugar, eggs and oil until thick, fold in the carrot, then the flour, spices and walnuts. Stop as soon as the flour has disappeared.
Bake at 180°C for 20 minutes. If your oven runs hot, check at 16 minutes. They are done when a skewer comes out clean and the tops spring back. Cool them completely before frosting, as warm cupcakes melt the frosting into a puddle. A pinch of ground ginger in the batter adds warmth if you have some, though the recipe works without it.
Storage and Reheating
Keeps in the fridge for 3 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.
Good With
- Hot tea
- Chopped walnuts on top
- Strong coffee
- Cold milk
Questions and Answers
How long does Carrot Cake Cupcakes take to make?
About 40 minutes in total — 20 minutes of preparation and 20 minutes of cooking. The recipe serves 12.
What are the key tips for making Carrot Cake Cupcakes?
Grate the carrot finely. Cool the cupcakes fully before frosting. If your oven runs hot, check at 16 minutes. Use cold cream cheese straight from the fridge for a firm frosting.
What should I serve with Carrot Cake Cupcakes?
Hot tea; Chopped walnuts on top; Strong coffee; Cold milk.
How should Carrot Cake Cupcakes be stored?
Keeps in the fridge for 3 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.
Is Carrot Cake Cupcakes suitable for a special diet?
This recipe is vegetarian. Those labels are checked against the ingredient list, so a dish is only marked when nothing in it contradicts the claim.
How many calories are in Carrot Cake Cupcakes?
About 369 kcal per serving, with 4 g protein, 41 g carbohydrate and 21 g fat. The figures are calculated from the ingredient list and are an estimate.
What's in a Serving
Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.
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Written and tested by Turab
One person, one kitchen — no test kitchen, no team. How every recipe on this site is checked before it goes up.
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