CARROT CUPCAKES

These Carrot Cupcakes are soft, moist, and perfectly spiced. You can easily make them from scratch and they’re topped with the BEST cream cheese frosting.

prep time: 25 MINUTES
cook time: 20 MINUTES
total time: 45 MINUTES
YIELD: 16 CUPCAKES

INGREDIENTS

For the Cupcakes:

• 1 and 1/4 cups of all-purpose flour (measure with the stir, spoon & level method)
• 1/2 cup of granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup of packed light brown sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon of baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon of ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon of ground cloves
• 1/2 cup of canola or vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup of sour cream (or yogurt or applesauce)
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
• 1 and 1/2 cups of grated carrots

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 8 ounces of cold cream cheese
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) of butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup of powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (375˚F for high altitude) and line cupcake pans with paper cups.
2. In a big bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. In another bowl, whisk the oil, sour cream, eggs, and vanilla.
3. Add the wet ingredients to the bowl of dry ingredients and mix until they’re almost combined. Then, gently fold in the shredded carrots just until they are incorporated.
4. Use a scoop that’s labeled as #24 to fill the cupcake liners, filling them about 2/3 full. Make sure not to overfill. You should end up with approximately 16 cupcakes.
5. Bake at 350˚F (or 375˚F for high altitude) for approximately 20 minutes. Check with a toothpick inserted into the center – it should come out with just a few moist crumbs, and the cake should spring back when touched. Let the cupcakes cool completely.

For the Frosting:

1. Place the cream cheese in a large bowl and use a hand mixer to beat it until it’s smooth.
2. Gradually add the butter, 2 tablespoons at a time, continuing to beat until it’s smooth and well blended after each addition.
3. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla all at once. Blend until everything is combined and the frosting is smooth.
4. Add the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a tip (such as Wilton 1M) and swirl it on top of the cupcakes. This amount of frosting should be just enough for 16 cupcakes if piped as shown.

Notes:

1. Feel free to add your favorite mix-ins like raisins, nuts (pecans or walnuts), coconut, or anything you like. However, don’t add more than 1/2 to 1 cup of mix-ins in total. Keep in mind that adding extra ingredients will yield more cupcakes. Only fill the liners 2/3 full.
2. If you’re adding pineapple, try to drain off any excess juice to avoid weighing down the batter. Use no more than 1/2 cup of crushed pineapple.
3. Store the cupcakes in an airtight container for 1-2 days at room temperature or up to 5 days in the refrigerator.

 

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