Best Carrot Cake Cupcakes . . . spiced with cinnamon and topped with brown sugar cream cheese frosting, these cupcakes are simply perfect!
Classic carrot cake gets a fun update with these moist carrot cake cupcakes. In a “grab and eat” form, they are perfect for serving at any type of gathering. And just about everyone loves a good carrot cake!
I don’t make carrot cake nearly often enough, and I forgot how much I love it. These cupcakes reminded me. They have a moist crumb and just the right amount of warm spices. Delicious!
In my world, homemade cream cheese frosting is an absolute must when it comes to carrot cake. Adding a little brown sugar to the tangy cream cheese frosting adds a richness and depth of flavor that is unbeatable!
I used a star tip to pipe my frosting onto the cupcakes. You can just spread the frosting on if you prefer. Spreading takes less frosting, so you can cut the frosting recipe in half if you opt for that method.
Handy supplies for making carrot cake cupcakes:
- Hand Mixer: I’ve used this Cuisinart mixer for over 10 years, and it is still going strong. Love it!
- Cupcake Liners: I like to use plain white cupcake liners to bake in, then place the cupcakes in fun liners after they cool.
- Food Processor: You can use a box grater to shred the carrots, but a food processor does make the job much easier. I have this food processor.
- Decorating bags and tips: I like to use a 1M star tip for my frosting. This is a great basic cake decorating set that is super affordable.
HOW TO MAKE EASY CARROT CUPCAKES
- PREP – Wash, peel, and grate the fresh carrots. Line 18 muffins with paper liners. Preheat oven to 350°. Let the cream cheese soften on the counter.
- DRY INGREDIENTS – In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
- WET INGREDIENTS – Beat the sugar, eggs, and oil in a separate bowl at medium speed for 1-2 minutes or until foamy. Mix in the sour cream, vanilla, and carrots. Gently stir in the flour mixture.
- BAKE – Fill the paper liners half full. Bake at 350° for 18-20 minutes.
- COOL – Let sit in the pan for a few minutes, then carefully dump out onto wire racks to cool completely.
- FROSTING – Combine cream cheese, butter, and brown sugar in a bowl and beat until smooth. Let sit for 5-10 minutes or until the brown sugar dissolves completely. Beat in vanilla, salt and enough powdered sugar to make a thick frosting. Use a star tip and piping bag to cover the top of the cupcakes with frosting.
Tips for making irresistible carrot cake cupcakes:
- Beat your wet ingredients well, but be gentle when you add the dry ingredients. You just need to stir them in till they are barely combined. Over-mixing can cause tough cupcakes.
- For best results, don’t overfill your cupcake liners. They should only be half full. After baking, the cupcakes will be flat. Don’t worry – that just makes them easier to frost!
- When making the frosting, leave enough time for the brown sugar to dissolve before you add the powdered sugar. You don’t want a grainy frosting!
VARIATIONS:
- For a tasty crunch, stir chopped pecans or chopped walnuts into the batter.
- Ground nutmeg is a tasty addition.
- You can add raisins to the batter – just don’t tell me about it. Haha!
- Feel free to use brown butter cream cheese frosting or your favorite cream cheese frosting recipe.
Give these carrot cupcakes a try. I’m sure that after just one bite you will fall in love with them!
MORE FAVORITE DESSERTS:
Carrot Cupcake recipe published September 2018, post updated February 2025.
Yield: 18 cupcakes
Carrot Cake Cupcake Recipe with Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting
Perfect carrot cake cupcakes with a rich brown sugar cream cheese frosting.
Prep Time
30 minutes
Cook Time
20 minutes
Additional Time
1 hour
Total Time
1 hour 50 minutes
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp + 1/8 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp + 1/8 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil (or canola oil)
- 1/4 cup sour cream (light is fine)
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups finely grated carrots
Frosting
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 2/3 cup brown sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla
- dash of salt
- 3 cups powdered sugar (more or less)
Instructions
- Wash, peel, and grate carrots. Place 18 cupcake liners in muffin tins. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
- Whisk together flour, soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a small bowl. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat sugar, eggs, and oil with an electric mixer at medium-high speed till thick and foamy, 1-2 minutes. Add the sour cream, vanilla, and carrots and mix well. Add the dry ingredients and stir till just blended.
- Fill paper lined cupcake pans half full of cupcake batter. Bake at 350° for 18-20 minutes. Let cool in the muffin tin for 3-5 minutes, then place cupcakes on a wire rack to cool completely.
- For frosting, beat together cream cheese, butter, and brown sugar till smooth. Let sit for 5-10 minutes till brown sugar dissolves completely. Add vanilla, salt, and enough powdered sugar to make a frosting thick enough to pipe.
- Transfer frosting into a piping bag. Use a large star tip to frost cooled cupcakes.
Notes
-This makes enough frosting to generously pipe frosting on the cupcakes. If you will be spreading it on, you can cut the recipe in half.
-You can store the cupcakes at room temperature in an airtight container for a couple days, but if you want to store them longer, pop them in the fridge for up to 5 days. I recommend letting them come to room temp before serving.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
18
Serving Size:
1
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 335Total Fat: 17gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 49mgSodium: 150mgCarbohydrates: 45gFiber: 1gSugar: 37gProtein: 3g
If you love carrot cake, this handheld version is going to become a new favorite! Carrot cake cupcakes are easier to serve, and fun to eat.