These easy Carrot Cake Cupcakes are soft, moist, and full of flavor with from carrots, pineapple, and coconut, then topped with a rich cream cheese frosting. A simple, delicious twist on classic carrot cake!
This recipe is a spin-off of my classic carrot cake-the one I've been making for years and still come back to every Easter. It has that same soft texture, warm spice, and mix of carrots, pineapple, coconut, and walnuts that's just chef's kiss, all in an easy cupcake version.
And with that thick swirl of cream cheese frosting on top… honestly, it's hard to beat!
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Why You'll Love Them
- Soft, tender cupcakes with a rich, moist crumb
- Warm, balanced spice flavor
- A little bit of everything-carrots, coconut, raisins, and walnuts
- Simple to make, no complicated steps
- That classic cream cheese frosting that just works every. Single. Time 👌🏻.
Ingredients
For the Carrot Cake Cupcakes
- Eggs
- Brown sugar
- Granulated sugar
- Vegetable oil
- Vanilla extract
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Cinnamon
- Nutmeg
- Carrots, finely grated
- Shredded coconut
- Crushed pineapple
- Golden raisins
- Walnuts
For the Frosting
- Butter
- Cream cheese
- Powdered sugar
- Heavy cream
- Vanilla
- Sea salt
Tips & Tricks
For the perfect carrot cake cupcakes:
- Freshly grated carrots really do make a difference here.
- Mix just until everything comes together-overmixing will make them dense.
- Double lining your cupcake liners gives them a sturdier base.
- Make sure your butter and cream cheese are fully softened for a smooth frosting.
Variations & Substitutions
Not into raisins? Leave them out or swap with chopped dates.
Switch up the nuts: Use pecans or even chopped hazelnuts instead of walnuts.
No pineapple? Substitute with an equal amount of unsweetened applesauce.
Want a layer cake instead? Head over to my Three Layer Carrot Cake with Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting post for the full recipe!
FAQs
Yes! You can bake the cupcakes a day or two in advance and store them unfrosted at room temperature. Frost the day you plan to serve for the best texture.
Yes. Lightly drain it so the batter doesn't get too wet. You still want a little moisture, just not excess liquid.
Most likely from over mixing the batter. Once you add the dry ingredients, mix together until just combined.
Freshly grated carrots are best. Pre-shredded tend to be too thick, too dry, and don't soften the same way while baking.
Carrot Cake Cupcakes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 16 to 18 Cupcakes 1x
Description
Soft, perfectly spiced carrot cake cupcakes made with fresh carrots, pineapple, coconut, and golden raisins, topped with a rich and creamy cream cheese frosting. This easy cupcake version of a classic carrot cake is full of flavor, texture, and easy to put together!
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes
- 2 eggs, well beaten
- ½ cup golden brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups all purpose, unbleached flour
- 1 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 ½ cups fresh carrots, finely grated
- ¼ cup shredded coconut
- 4 ounces canned crushed pineapple
- ½ cup golden raisins
- ¼ cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
For the Frosting
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted (more as desired)
- 1 to 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream (as needed)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla paste (substitute with vanilla extract if not available)
- ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
Get Recipe Ingredients
Instructions
Make the Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Line two standard 12-cup cupcake pans with cupcake liners. Set aside. (I used double liners for extra structure). Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg Set aside.
- Using a stand mixer or a beat together the eggs, oil, vanilla extract, and sugars until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes..
- Stir in the carrots, pineapple, and shredded coconut, mixing until just combined.
- Add the flour mixture into egg mixture and mix until just combined.
- Add chopped walnuts. Whisk until just combined. Do not overmix!
- Fill the cupcake liners about ⅔ full. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Let cool completely on a wire rack before frosting..
Make the Frosting
- In a stand mixer, whisk the butter until light and creamy, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Sift in the powdered sugar. Add vanilla paste or vanilla extract. Whisk until light and smooth, about 2 to 3 minutes. Be careful not to over whip!
- Frost the cooled cupcakes by piping or with an offset icing spatula. Top with sprinkles and sanding sugar as desired!
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Debbie says
I will be making the cupcakes but, unfortunately, NOT the frosting. That is an INSANE amount of powdered sugar! 6 cups??? Wow. As a rule, I do love your recipes. But, the frosting will be replaced with another one with not so much sugar!
Aberdeen says
This is what happens when you attempt to write up a recipe with a preschooler underfoot and two cats on your keyboard 🤦🏼♀️. I checked my recipe journal and it's actually 3 cups! Fixed the recipe to show this. Thanks for bringing it to my attention. Did you actually try the recipe before you rated it two stars?