Best Carrot Cake Cupcakes

These carrot cake cupcakes are much easier to make than the classic cake and topped with a lemony cream cheese frosting for a special Easter treat.

• Preparation Time: 30 mins
• Cooking Time: 20 mins
• Total Time: 50 mins
• Calories: 362 Calories

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 4 eggs, lightly beaten
• 3 cups finely grated carrots
• 1 tablespoon milk, or as needed
• 2 cups flour
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons McCormick® Cinnamon, Ground
• 1 tablespoon McCormick® Pure Vanilla Extract
• 0.5 teaspoon salt
• 0.5 cup butter, softened
• 1.25 cups vegetable oil
• 0.5 teaspoon McCormick® Nutmeg, Ground
• 0.5 teaspoon McCormick® Pure Lemon Extract
• 1 (16 ounce) box confectioners' sugar

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Line 24 muffin cups with liners.

Step 2

Frost cooled cupcakes with frosting.

Step 3

To make the carrot cake cupcakes: Stir flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt together in a large bowl until well combined. Add oil, eggs, and vanilla; mix well. Add carrots; mix until well blended. Spoon batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each 2/3 full.

Step 4

Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Cool cupcakes briefly in the pans on a wire rack. Remove cupcakes from the pans; cool completely.

Step 5

To make the lemon frosting: Beat cream cheese, butter, and lemon extract together in a large bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until smooth. If frosting is too thick to spread, gradually beat in milk.