Simple Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Super moist carrot cake starts with freshly grated carrots! These carrot cake cupcakes are tender, lightly spiced, and full of flavor. Paired with a sweet and slightly tangy cream cheese frosting, they're a guaranteed crowd-pleaser that will take any spring celebration from good to great! Customize your mix-ins and decorate as desired.

• Preparation Time: 30 mins
• Cooking Time: 15 mins
• Total Time: 45 mins
• Calories: 337 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ cup chopped pecans (Optional)
• ½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ¼ cup raisins (Optional)
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, at room temperature
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 4 ounces unsweetened applesauce
• 1 ½ cups freshly grated carrots
• ¼ cup shredded sweetened coconut (Optional)
• ¼ cup crushed pineapple, drained (Optional)

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line 18 muffin cups with paper liners.

Step 2

Whisk together sugar, applesauce, oil, eggs, and vanilla for cupcakes in a large bowl. Sift in flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; mix until well combined. Add grated carrots, raisins, shredded coconut, crushed pineapple, and pecans; mix until fully incorporated. Scoop batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling halfway.

Step 3

Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the centers comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool completely, about 30 minutes.

Step 4

Meanwhile, beat cream cheese and butter for frosting with an electric mixer until smooth. Gradually mix in powdered sugar and beat until creamy. Mix in vanilla.

Step 5

Frost cupcakes when they are completely cool; if they are even slightly warm, the frosting will melt. Decorate as desired.