Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Cream Cheese

I love a good cupcake moment. Even though my kids are a little older they are totally down for cupcakes on special occasions. Needless to say, these Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting are ideal for Easter.  

Carrot cake is a staple dessert and I absolutely love it any time of year. However, it can be tricky to have a huge cake at home because it doesn’t stay fresh for very long once you slice into it. This is why I like to make cupcakes, especially around the holidays. They’re the perfect portion for one person, and they can be stored in the fridge without going bad for longer lengths of time. They also are really nice to have on hand when my younger nieces and nephews come over. I can put them out on a platter after dinner and everyone is happy. 

The longest part of making this is shredding the carrots. I like to use a food processor with the grater blade. You can also use a mandoline or a hand grater. After that, simply proceed as instructed and be extra generous when it comes to fluffing up the cream cheese frosting. It’s a heavier frosting and tastes better with a little extra whipping. 

I like to decorate these with little carrots, sprinkles, or something fun that signifies Easter. If you aren’t making these for the holiday than feel free to decorate them however you’d like. There’s never a wrong way to make a cupcake festive! 

This is a classic Carrot Cake Cupcake with Cream Cheese Frosting recipe. Some people like to add nuts or raisins, but my children don’t like them. If you’d like some than feel free to go ahead and do so. They’ll taste delicious either way. Enjoy these adorable desserts this holiday season. In fact, I might recommend you might a double batch because I can guarantee they’re going to be a huge hit with your family and friends! 

Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting 

Is there any better Easter dessert? I love making these for my family and friends, especially this time of year! 

Makes 12 cupcakes 

Ingredients: For the cupcakes: 

• 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour 

• 1 tsp baking powder 

• ½ tsp baking soda 

• 1 tsp cinnamon 

• ½ tsp nutmeg 

• ½ tsp salt 

• ⅔ cup olive oil 

• ¾ cup sugar 

• 2 large eggs 

• 1 tsp vanilla extract 

• 1 ½ cups grated carrots 

For the frosting: 

• 8 oz cream cheese (softened) 

• 4 tbsp unsalted butter (softened) 

• 1 ½ cups powdered sugar 

• 1 tsp vanilla extract 

Instructions: 

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a cupcake pan with paper liners. 

2. Mix dry ingredients: In a bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. 

3. Mix wet ingredients: In another bowl, whisk oil, sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Combine with the dry ingredients and fold in the grated carrots. 

4. Bake: Fill cupcake liners ¾ full and bake for 20-22 minutes. Let cool completely. 

5. Make frosting: Beat cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla until creamy. 

6. Frost & decorate: Pipe frosting onto the cooled cupcakes and decorate with Easter sprinkles or fondant carrots. 

Nikki Glekas is the owner of Nikki Glekas Events, a full-service catering and events company located in Stamford, CT.. To discuss further please contact team@nikkiglekascollective.com or call 203.658.8659.