Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
If you love carrot cake, you will definitely love these Carrot Cake Cupcakes! Topped with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting, these are a must make. These cupcakes have a moist crumb, are so flavourful and delicious.
When thoughts of spring and Easter roll around, I immediately crave carrot cake. Tender, spicy delicious carrot cake with some kind of cream cheese frosting…the best. Over the years I’ve made quite a few carrot cake recipes, but none quite like this. These Carrot Cake Cupcakes are SO good, and topped with a Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting…THE best. You’re going to want to try these, I promise.
Now I know that I’ve mentioned this before, but I’m going to say it again, having kids who love to bake is the greatest thing ever. My high school aged daughter loves to bake. Loves it. And she’s good at it. So anytime she asks to get in the kitchen, I am happy to oblige, because we all know something delicious is coming our way. This past weekend was no exception when she made these Carrot Cake Cupcakes.
Simple, delicious ingredients.
These carrot cake cupcakes are made with delicious ingredients like homemade applesauce, fresh grated carrots, spices, and coconut oil, making them SO moist and flavourful…they actually remind me a lot of these Morning Glory Muffins.
Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting:
And you must add the cinnamon cream cheese frosting, it takes these cupcakes to the next level! They’re amazing. Like bakery-made-amazing.
Sprinkle with toasted coconut.
We topped these iced cupcakes off with a sprinkled garnish of lightly toasted coconut, adding great flavour but also making them look extra pretty.
Delicious any time of year!
No one is going to be able to resist these bites of heaven. Make them for Easter, brunch, dessert or any special occasion…any ordinary day is a special occasion too! I hope you love them as much as we do.
Carrot Cake Cupcake Recipe Tips:
- Carrots: Use fresh carrots. I prefer to peel the carrots before grating them. I just use a box grater to grate. You can also use a food processor.
- Applesauce: You can use store bought unsweetened applesauce, or you can make your own homemade apple sauce. I made my own with 3 medium sized apples, and mashed it down until it was nice and smooth.
- Oil: If you don’t have coconut oil, you can use vegetable oil.
- If you like nuts such as pecans or walnuts, or raisins in your carrot cake, feel free to add a 1/2 cup of either to the cake batter before baking.
- Make sure the cake has cooled completely before frosting, or the frosting will melt.
- Make Ahead Tip: This cake tastes even better served the next day!
- Storage: Store this cake on the counter in an airtight container for up to 3 days. You can also keep it in the fridge if you’re more comfortable with that.
- Freezing: This cake freezes well. Place the cake in an airtight container WITHOUT the frosting added, then keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to serve it, bring the cake up to room temperature then add the frosting.
- Frosting Piping Tip: Once the cupcakes have cooled completely, you can frost them. For these cupcakes I used a piping bag with the Wilton 1M tip.
Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
If you love carrot cake, you will definitely love these Carrot Cake Cupcakes! Topped with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting, these are a must make. These cupcakes have a moist crumb, are so flavourful and delicious.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 12 cupcakes 1x
- Category: Cupcakes
- Method: Baking
Ingredients
Carrot Cake Cupcakes:
- 1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 2 large eggs
- 2/3 cup brown sugar (packed)
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1/4 cup coconut oil (or vegetable oil or canola oil)
- 1 1/2 cups lightly packed finely shredded carrots
Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 1/2 cup butter (at room temperature)
- 1 (8 oz) package of cream cheese (at room temp)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 3 1/2 cups icing (powdered sugar)
Toasted Coconut Topping:
- 1/4 cup sweetened shredded coconut
Instructions
Carrot Cake Cupcakes:
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
- Line a muffin tin with 12 cupcake liners. Set aside.
- In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and ginger. Set aside.
- Using a stand mixer cream together the egg, brown sugar and white sugar. Mix until smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Add in the vanilla, and mix well.
- Then add the applesauce, coconut oil and shredded carrots. Mix well.
- Now fold the flour mix into the wet ingredients. Lightly stir until combined.
- Evenly distribute the cupcake batter between the 12 muffin cups.
- Bake for 18 – 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the centre of the cupcake comes out clean.
- Let the cupcakes cool on a wire rack completely before frosting them, at least 20 minutes or more.
Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting:
- While the cupcakes are baking you can make the frosting.
- Using a mixer, cream together the butter and cream cheese until smooth.
- Add in the vanilla, cinnamon and icing sugar and mix until smooth.
- Once the cupcakes have cooled completely, you can now frost them! For these cupcakes I used the Wilton 1M tip.
Toasted Coconut Topping:
- Spread the shredded coconut evenly out on a cookie sheet.
- In your 350 degree oven, bake the coconut for 2 – 3 minutes, or until the coconut is lightly browned. Make sure to watch it carefully as you don’t want it to burn.
- Let cool.
- Once the cupcakes are frosted, sprinkle them with the toasted coconut.
- Enjoy!
Keywords: carrot cupcakes, carrot cake cupcakes, cinnamon frosting, cinnamon cream cheese frosting
More delicious carrot cake recipes to try!
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Have a delicious day!
