Carrot Cake Cupcakes Recipe

These carrot cake cupcakes capture all the wonderful flavors of classic carrot cake in a perfectly portioned, easy-to-carry cupcake. They’re bursting with cozy spices, boast a moist, tender crumb, and finish off with a smooth cream cheese frosting that’s just right. I’ve scaled down my go-to carrot cake recipe so you can whip up a batch of cupcakes faster and simpler, without skimping on that lovely taste.

One reader, Leigh, told me: “I followed this recipe exactly and these cupcakes turned out amazing! That tip about grating then chopping the carrots was a game changer. The piped frosting had the perfect texture and looked gorgeous. ★★★★★“

Honestly, carrot cake with cream cheese frosting is a classic that never loses its charm. I love it baked as a loaf or a Bundt cake, but these cupcakes take the iconic carrot cake flavor and make it fun and portable. Simple, comforting, and just plain delicious.

• Flavor: These cupcakes are bursting with warm cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger spices. Brown sugar, a hint of applesauce, natural carrot sweetness, and tangy frosting combine for a perfectly balanced taste.
• Texture: You’ll get a soft, moist crumb that’s never greasy—that ideal texture that can be tricky to get just right. This recipe nails it every time!
• Ease: Whether you’re a newbie or a seasoned baker, you’ll find this recipe super manageable. The batter mixes easily by hand, and using a mixer makes whipping up the frosting a breeze.
• Time: From mixing to cooling, expect about 2 hours total. Cupcakes bake faster than cakes, but they do need good cooling time before frosting.

My mantra: carrot cake only shines when it’s boldly spiced and perfectly moist. Not enough spice? Meh. Too dry? Like biting into a vegetable with frosting—not good! Stick with this trusted recipe, and you’ll have perfectly balanced carrot cupcakes every single time.

These cupcakes pack in everything we love about carrot cake—warming spices, tender, super moist crumb, and that luscious cream cheese frosting—into fun, single-serving treats. I’ve pared down my beloved carrot cake recipe so you get the same fantastic flavor and texture without all the fuss or long baking time.

Keep reading for a simple, step-by-step guide, plus tips for getting everything just right: how to shred and chop carrots for even distribution, why the combo of oil and applesauce keeps things extra moist, a foolproof cream cheese frosting method (plus why chilling it helps when piping), handy mix-in ideas, make-ahead and freezing advice, and answers to common questions.

• Time & Yield: Around 2 hours total including cooling. Makes about 12 regular-sized cupcakes or around 30 minis.
• Skill Level: Beginner-friendly all the way! The batter mixes up by hand nicely, and a mixer speeds up the frosting process.
• What to Expect: A cozy blend of cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg spices paired with a tender, moist crumb from oil and applesauce, topped off with smooth, tangy cream cheese frosting.
• Bonus: Tips for prepping carrots perfectly, mix-in and topping suggestions, plus storing and freezing tips so you can plan ahead.

Ingredients and Why They Matter

• 1 and 1/3 cups (166g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 cup (120ml) vegetable oil
• 1 cup (200g) packed light or dark brown sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1/3 cup (80g) unsweetened applesauce, sour cream, or plain yogurt, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 and 1/2 cups (200g) peeled, shredded, and coarsely chopped carrots* (about 3 large carrots)
• optional add-in: 3/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans; raisins
• 8 ounces (224g) full-fat block cream cheese, softened to room temperature
• 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 3 cups (360g) confectioners’ sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• optional garnish: white chocolate carrot topper (see Notes) and/or finely chopped walnuts or pecans

Shredding, Mixing, and Baking Tips

While pre-shredded carrots from the store seem like a shortcut, they often don’t deliver the best texture for moist carrot cupcakes. Usually, those carrots feel a little dry or tough. I highly recommend grabbing fresh whole carrots, peeling them, and shredding them yourself with a box grater. Plus, it’s a nice little arm workout while you bake! If you’re scaling this up for a layer cake, see My Favorite Carrot Cake Recipe for more tips on prepping carrots for optimal texture.

Here’s a neat little trick: After shredding, give the carrot shreds a rough chop so they turn into smaller pieces. This helps spread the carrot evenly in every cupcake, so each bite has that lovely carrot flavor and moisture distributed throughout, like this:

See how the chopped carrots are much finer and spread out? That little step makes a huge difference in getting carrot bursts in every bite!

FAQs About Frosting and Texture

Cream cheese frosting naturally has a softer and thinner texture than the usual buttercream. Chill the frosting in the fridge while your cupcakes cool—this firms it up, making piping easier and helping it keep its shape just a bit better. Keep your piping simple; this frosting isn’t made for super fancy designs. And hey, if you’re not into piping, just spreading it with a knife works fantastic and saves time! For a dependable recipe and more tips, see my Moist & Easy Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting.

Want to kick these cupcakes up a notch? You can fill the centers with some cream cheese frosting or even a smooth pastry cream. If you’re curious, see an example of filled cupcakes in my Raspberry Chocolate Cupcakes.

Looking for other frosting ideas? These carrot cupcakes also pair wonderfully with whipped cream frosting, Swiss meringue buttercream, a rich caramel frosting, the cinnamon cream cheese frosting from my banana cupcakes, or even plain—kind of like morning glory muffins! Feel free to swap and experiment however you like.

Mix-Ins, Substitutions, and Toppers

If dairy is off your list, these cupcakes are already dairy-free when you use applesauce. Pair them with a creamy marshmallow meringue frosting that’s delightfully light and also dairy-free.

For a charming finish, I topped these cream cheese-frosted cupcakes with chopped nuts and a playful white chocolate carrot. You don’t have to, but those extras really elevate the look and feel! Check the Notes below for simple instructions on making those cute white chocolate carrot toppers right at home.

Description

These carrot cake cupcakes are a smaller batch spin on my classic carrot cake recipe. The batter is easy to mix by hand, but I recommend using a mixer for the cream cheese frosting. The white chocolate carrot toppers add a playful, optional finishing touch!

Ingredients

• 1 and 1/3 cups (166g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 cup (120ml) vegetable oil
• 1 cup (200g) packed light or dark brown sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1/3 cup (80g) unsweetened applesauce, sour cream, or plain yogurt, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 and 1/2 cups (200g) peeled, shredded, and coarsely chopped carrots* (about 3 large carrots)
• optional add-in: 3/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans; raisins

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 8 ounces (224g) full-fat block cream cheese, softened to room temperature
• 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 3 cups (360g) confectioners’ sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• optional garnish: white chocolate carrot topper (see Notes) and/or finely chopped walnuts or pecans

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Set this dry mix aside.
3. In another bowl, whisk the vegetable oil, brown sugar, eggs, applesauce (or sour cream/yogurt), and vanilla until smooth. Stir in the shredded and chopped carrots.
4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Fold or whisk gently until just combined—you want a thick, scoopable batter but don’t overmix.
5. Spoon the batter into the cupcake liners, filling each about 3/4 full. For mini cupcakes, fill them accordingly (you’ll get about 30) and bake for less time.
6. Bake regular cupcakes for 21–23 minutes or mini cupcakes for 12–13 minutes. Test by inserting a toothpick—if it comes out clean, they’re done. Let cupcakes cool in the pan a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
7. While the cupcakes cool, whip up your cream cheese frosting: beat the softened cream cheese and butter on high speed until creamy. Add the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, and salt. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then crank up to high for 2 minutes until fluffy and smooth.
8. If you plan to pipe frosting, chill it in the fridge while cupcakes cool to help it hold shape. If it gets too stiff, give it a quick mix before frosting.
9. Frost cooled cupcakes with a knife or a piping bag fitted with your favorite tip. I love using an Ateco 808 tip and gently swirling the center for a pretty look (totally optional). Top with chopped nuts or white chocolate carrots if you like. If filling cupcakes, use a corer or piping tip to hollow out the centers and fill with your chosen filling before frosting the tops.

Notes

1. Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: You can bake these cupcakes a day in advance. Keep them covered at room temperature or in the fridge. The frosting stores well in the fridge for a day; if it stiffens, just beat it a bit to soften before piping or spreading. Both frosted and unfrosted cupcakes freeze great for 2–3 months—wrap each cupcake individually or store airtight, then thaw in the fridge overnight.
2. Vegetable Oil Substitute: Coconut oil works well too! Just melt and cool it before mixing, and make sure other ingredients are room temp so the oil doesn’t harden unevenly in the batter.
3. Applesauce/Sour Cream/Yogurt: All three add moisture and richness. I especially love applesauce for a gentle flavor boost. You can also try canned crushed pineapple (no draining needed) for a tropical twist.
4. About Carrots: Skip pre-shredded bagged carrots—they tend to be dry and take away from moisture. Freshly shred about 1 and 1/2 cups (200g) of carrots, then roughly chop those shreds to spread carrot flavor evenly. You can even try shredded apple or zucchini for a fun variation!
5. How to Make White Chocolate Carrot Garnish: Melt about 4 ounces (1 bar) of white chocolate in the microwave in 20-second bursts, stirring frequently until fully smooth. Divide the melted chocolate into two bowls, tint one with orange gel food coloring and the other with green. Fill two squeeze bottles with each color. On parchment or silicone baking mats, pipe orange carrot shapes, then add green stems. Chill for at least 15 minutes until set. Keep decorated cupcakes chilled until just before serving since the chocolate softens at room temperature.
6. This recipe is inspired by the Carrot Cake Cupcakes but scaled down and lightened up here for cupcakes.

What Makes Them Special

These carrot cake cupcakes bring together all the favorite parts of classic carrot cake with none of the fuss. You get cozy spices, tender moist crumb, and tangy cream cheese frosting all in a tiny, easy-to-handle package. They’re perfectly portioned, freeze and travel well, and are forgiving enough for even novice bakers to nail.

• Super moist: The magic blend of oil and applesauce keeps the crumb soft and never greasy.
• Perfect spice balance: Cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg add just enough warmth—similar to the profile in gingerbread cupcakes—without overpowering the carrots.
• Easy to make: The batter comes together quickly whether by hand or mixer; frosting whips up simply and is easier to pipe once chilled.
• Flexible: Add nuts or raisins, swap in dairy-free options, or dress them up with cute white chocolate carrot toppers for special occasions (see these festive turkey cupcakes for decorating inspiration).

How to Make the Cupcakes

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C) and line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.
2. Peel whole carrots, shred with a box grater, then roughly chop the shreds into smaller pieces.

   

3. In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Set this dry mixture aside.
4. In another bowl, whisk the vegetable oil, packed brown sugar, eggs, applesauce (or sour cream/yogurt), and vanilla until nice and smooth.

   

5. Stir in the shredded and chopped carrots, plus any optional nuts or raisins to the wet mixture.
6. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and fold gently just until everything is combined. Avoid overmixing.

   

7. Spoon the batter into cupcake liners, filling each about 3/4 full (mini liners get less batter).
8. Bake standard cupcakes for 21–23 minutes, or mini cupcakes for 12–13 minutes. Check with a toothpick—it should come out clean.

   

9. Let cupcakes cool in the pan for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
10. Make sure your cream cheese and unsalted butter are at room temperature before starting the frosting.

    

11. Beat the softened cream cheese and butter together on high speed until creamy.
12. Add confectioners’ sugar, vanilla extract, and salt. Beat on low speed for about 30 seconds, then increase to high speed and beat for 2 minutes until smooth and fluffy.

    

13. If you’re piping frosting, chill it in the fridge while cupcakes finish cooling. If it becomes too stiff, give it a quick beat to loosen up.
14. (Optional) Hollow out the centers using a corer or piping tip and fill cupcakes with extra frosting or pastry cream before frosting the tops.

    

15. Frost your cooled cupcakes by spreading with a knife or piping using your favorite tip.
16. Top with chopped nuts and/or white chocolate carrot decorations if you want an extra-special look.

    

17. To make white chocolate carrot toppers: melt white chocolate in the microwave in 20-second bursts, stirring until smooth. Divide and tint melted chocolate orange and green using gel food coloring. Fill squeeze bottles and pipe carrot shapes on parchment paper. Chill at least 15 minutes until firm.

    

Storage and Make-Ahead Tips

Let me share a few ways to keep your cupcakes fresh and easy tricks for prepping ahead:

• Short-term storage: Keep cupcakes frosted or plain, covered tightly in the fridge for up to 5 days. Before serving, bring them to room temperature for 20–30 minutes so they taste just right and have that perfect soft texture.
• Make ahead: You can bake cupcakes a day ahead and store them covered at room temperature or in the fridge. You can also make the frosting a day ahead; if it thickens too much when chilled, just beat it lightly before piping or spreading. These make-ahead steps are especially handy for game-day treats like Football Cupcakes.
• Freezing: Both frosted and plain cupcakes freeze wonderfully for 2 to 3 months. Wrap them individually or store airtight, and thaw overnight in the fridge.
• White chocolate toppers: Keep these decorations refrigerated until just before serving since they soften quite quickly at room temperature.
• Reheating tips: If you want a warm cupcake, remove the frosting and microwave an unfrosted cupcake for 10–15 seconds. Then add your frosting back or enjoy it plain and warm. Avoid microwaving frosted cupcakes as the frosting will melt and get runny.