Carrot Cake Cupcakes

By lihui

12 Person

55 Minutes

0 Calories

Carrot Cake Cupcakes are one of my all-time favorite cupcake recipes! They’re soft, tender, and perfectly moist, and their sweet, spiced flavor is absolutely perfect. The cream cheese frosting and crunchy chopped pecans are the perfect finishing touch. It's absolutely healthy and delicious, just give it a try!

Ingredients

Decoration

12 Small curly parsley stems
Cocoa powder
Orange gel food coloring
50 g Marzipan

Frosting

1/2 tsp. Vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups Powdered sugar
8 oz. Cream cheese, nearly at room temperature
1/2 cup Unsalted butter, nearly at room temperature

Cupcakes

3/4 cup Chopped pecans
1/2 cup Vegetable oil
1 tsp. Vanilla extract
1/4 cup Unsweetened applesauce
2 Large eggs
1/3 cup Packed light-brown sugar
2/3 cup Granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups Finely shredded carrots
1/8 tsp. Ground nutmeg
1 tsp. Ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp. Baking powder
1/2 tsp. Baking soda
1 1/4 cups All-purpose flour

Method

01

For the cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350℉. In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg, set aside.
02

In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk together granulated sugar and brown sugar, then add eggs and using an electric hand mixer, blend mixture on low speed 30 seconds, until slightly pale.
03

Mix in applesauce and vanilla extract. With mixer running on low speed, slowly pour in vegetable oil and mix until combined, then mix 20 seconds longer.
04

Mix in half of the dry ingredients, then pour the shredded carrots into the bowl with the remaining flour mixture and toss in flour mixture to coat carrots (they'll clump together a bit but that's fine). Pour carrot mixture into the batter and blend until evenly combined.
05

Pour batter into paper-lined muffin cups, filling each cup about 3/4 full. Bake in preheated oven until toothpick inserted into center of cupcake comes out clean, about 19 - 21 minutes. Cool in muffin tin several minutes then transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.
06

For the frosting: Using an electric mixer whip together butter and cream cheese on medium-high speed until smooth and fluffy. Mix in vanilla extract.
07

With mixer running on low speed, slowly add powdered sugar and beat until well blended and smooth*. Frost cupcakes with cream cheese frosting then immediately roll edges of frosting in chopped pecans.
08

For the optional carrot decoration: Tint marzipan with orange gel coloring and knead to evenly incorporate color. Separate small pieces at a time (I did 4g carrots) then roll into carrot shapes (roll a tapered log shape).
09

Dip a toothpick lightly in cocoa powder, shaking off excess then gently roll carrot across toothpick (in random places) while slightly rotating to make slight indentations (to give it that natural look).
10

Poke a small hole in the top of each carrot and insert parsley. Gently press carrots into frosting on tops of cupcakes.
11

Store in an airtight container in refrigerator. Allow to rest at room temperature until no longer cold before serving.

Related Tags

Carrot Cake Cupcakes

4.4

( By lihui )

01 Information

Grade medium
Serving 12 servings
Prep Time 35 Mins
Cook Time 20 Mins
Total Time 55 Mins

02 Ingredients

Decoration

12 Small curly parsley stems

Cocoa powder

Orange gel food coloring

50 g Marzipan

Frosting

1/2 tsp. Vanilla extract

3 1/2 cups Powdered sugar

8 oz. Cream cheese, nearly at room temperature

1/2 cup Unsalted butter, nearly at room temperature

Cupcakes

3/4 cup Chopped pecans

1/2 cup Vegetable oil

1 tsp. Vanilla extract

1/4 cup Unsweetened applesauce

2 Large eggs

1/3 cup Packed light-brown sugar

2/3 cup Granulated sugar

1 1/2 cups Finely shredded carrots

1/8 tsp. Ground nutmeg

1 tsp. Ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. Salt

1/2 tsp. Baking powder

1/2 tsp. Baking soda

1 1/4 cups All-purpose flour

03 Method

Step 1

For the cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350℉. In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg, set aside.

Step 2

In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk together granulated sugar and brown sugar, then add eggs and using an electric hand mixer, blend mixture on low speed 30 seconds, until slightly pale.

Step 3

Mix in applesauce and vanilla extract. With mixer running on low speed, slowly pour in vegetable oil and mix until combined, then mix 20 seconds longer.

Step 4

Mix in half of the dry ingredients, then pour the shredded carrots into the bowl with the remaining flour mixture and toss in flour mixture to coat carrots (they'll clump together a bit but that's fine). Pour carrot mixture into the batter and blend until evenly combined.

Step 5

Pour batter into paper-lined muffin cups, filling each cup about 3/4 full. Bake in preheated oven until toothpick inserted into center of cupcake comes out clean, about 19 - 21 minutes. Cool in muffin tin several minutes then transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.

Step 6

For the frosting: Using an electric mixer whip together butter and cream cheese on medium-high speed until smooth and fluffy. Mix in vanilla extract.

Step 7

With mixer running on low speed, slowly add powdered sugar and beat until well blended and smooth*. Frost cupcakes with cream cheese frosting then immediately roll edges of frosting in chopped pecans.

Step 8

For the optional carrot decoration: Tint marzipan with orange gel coloring and knead to evenly incorporate color. Separate small pieces at a time (I did 4g carrots) then roll into carrot shapes (roll a tapered log shape).

Step 9

Dip a toothpick lightly in cocoa powder, shaking off excess then gently roll carrot across toothpick (in random places) while slightly rotating to make slight indentations (to give it that natural look).

Step 10

Poke a small hole in the top of each carrot and insert parsley. Gently press carrots into frosting on tops of cupcakes.

Step 11

Store in an airtight container in refrigerator. Allow to rest at room temperature until no longer cold before serving.

04 Author