Best Carrot Cake Cupcakes

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Wonderfully moist and flavorful carrot cake cupcakes filled with crunchy chopped nuts and topped with a smooth and creamy cream cheese frosting.

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Why I love this Carrot Cupcake Recipe

Just as my homemade carrot cake recipe had been a very long time coming by the time I posted it, so have these classic carrot cake cupcakes.

Prior to starting my blog, I made custom cakes and cupcakes for people– birthdays, showers, weddings, parties. And since I was still working a full time job outside of the house back then (still a dream I get to do THIS as a full time job these days!), I made a lot of cupcakes for coworkers and lunch events.

Whenever I made that moist carrot cake or these carrot cake cupcakes, people went nuts. And since that cake has been on my blog, it’s been a pretty popular post, so it only seemed right to share the actual carrot cake cupcake recipe as opposed to just a note at the bottom of my favorite carrot cake recipe.

There are a lot of feelings around what should or shouldn’t be in carrot cake cupcakes, and here, you’ll find my personal preference. If this is not the way you like your carrot cake cupcakes, that’s perfectly fine. I know this can get as heated as some political issues.

For the cream cheese frosting, you will need:

• full fat block cream cheese
• unsalted butter
• powdered sugar
• vanilla extract
• salt

This will insure that you have some very small and fine carrot bits that will get themselves into every nook and cranny of your carrot cake cupcakes.

The batter will be very orange, and you might start to question “half a pound” of carrots. It is not a typo. I promise, this is where it gets amazing.

The same idea applies to the nuts– chop them very fine so that they distribute through the cupcakes nicely. There is also no need to toast them prior to putting them into the batter. They will toast all on their own while in the oven.

How to make Carrot Cake Cupcakes

1. In a medium size bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and salt, then set this mixture aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar and vegetable oil until completely combined, then whisk in the eggs one at a time until everything is incorporated.
3. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and stir with a spatula until batter starts to come together. Add the carrots and the walnuts and continue to mix until everything is evenly combined.
4. Fill the cupcake liners ⅔ to ¾ of the way full with batter and bake.

How to store this Carrot Cake Cupcake Recipe

Store in the refrigerator up to 5 days. Cupcakes freeze well, frosted or unfrosted, up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator. Please note you can keep these cupcakes at room temperature, but the frosting may weep since there is so much moisture in the cupcakes and in the frosting (from the cream cheese). If it is particularly warm where you live, considering putting them in the refrigerator from the start.

Carrot Cake Cupcakes Recipe FAQs

I hope that you will invite this recipe for carrot cupcakes into your kitchen and love it as much as we and so many others have. I am confident enough to say that these are the best carrot cake cupcakes you’ll ever find… And I can’t wait for you to taste them!