What kind of flour do you recommend for these cupcakes?

All-purpose flour is perfect here.

Can I add nuts on top?

That's a great idea! Chopped walnuts would be delicious!

What type of oil is best here?

A neutral-tasting oil works best in this case, something like canola oil.

Do I need to use muffin liners?

Baking directly in the muffin tin without the liners is my favorite way to bake these, but it's harder to get the perfect light brown color on the sides because they often get too dark brown. The ones pictured here turned out perfectly, but if you're unsure, just use paper liners.

The Best Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

The Best Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

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4.4 from 160 reviews

Author: Pinch of Yum
Total Time: 45 minutes
Yield: 12 cupcakes 1x

Description

These are the best carrot cake cupcakes with a swirl of cream cheese frosting on top! Grab your stars of a usual baking line-up, like flour, sugar, and butter, plus a few extras, like carrots and cream cheese, and get baking!

Ingredients

Units Scale

For the cupcakes

1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 heaping cups grated carrots
2/3 cup neutral oil
2 eggs, beaten

For the frosting

4 ounces cream cheese
4 tablespoons butter
2+ cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the grated carrots and the oil. Slowly add the flour mixture, stirring until just mixed. Add the beaten eggs and stir a few times (like 15 or less around the bowl – the fewer the better)!
Grease a muffin tin or use paper liners. Scoop the batter into a muffin tin, filling each muffin tin about 2/3 of the way up the side. Bake for 13 minutes, check how they’re doing, and add a few minutes if necessary. I find that the baking time varies greatly with oven, so just check for the right golden brown color and springy tops. Allow the cupcakes to cool.
For the frosting, blend the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until smooth. Slowly beat in the powdered sugar until smooth. Transfer to a plastic bag or similar tool for piping the frosting evenly on the cupcakes.