My dad gave me blue eyes, blonde hair, and an unconditional love for carrot cake. We love this classic dessert so much that we simply call it birthday cake. My tried and true carrot cake recipe is one of the most popular recipes on my website. For good reasons too: it’s super moist, super flavorful, and super easy to make. Since I can never seem to stop at one slice, I decided to turn my cake into individual cupcakes. They’re finished off with a sweet, tangy, cream cheese frosting that makes them a true crowd pleaser.
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 1 cup (200 g) dark brown sugar
- ¾ cup (180 ml) vegetable oil (or melted coconut oil)
- ¼ cup (60 g) yogurt (Greek or regular yogurt, plain or vanilla)
- 3 eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 cups (260 g) finely grated baby carrots (or regular carrots)
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 oz (224 g) full-fat cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- ¼ cup (½ stick or 60 g) butter, softened to room temperature
- 1½ cups (190 g) confectioners’ sugar
- 1 tbsp milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- pinch salt
How to Make It
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two 12-count muffin pans with 14 cupcake liners. Fill the unused cups one-third full with water to prevent warping. Set aside. Make the Cupcakes
- Whisk the brown sugar and oil together in a large bowl until combined. Whisk in the yogurt until fully incorporated and no lumps remain the mixture will be thick. Add the eggs, one at a time, whisking well after each addition. Whisk in the vanilla. Set aside.
- In a separate medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. With a rubber spatula or large spoon, stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined. Do not overmix. Fold in the finely grated carrots. Spoon the batter evenly into 14 cupcake liners. Bake for 16–18 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of a cupcake comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before frosting. Make the Frosting
- In a medium bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter together on medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the confectioners’ sugar and milk. Beat for 2 minutes. Add the vanilla and salt. Beat for 1 minute. For thicker frosting, add more confectioners’ sugar and add extra salt to offset the additional sugar. Frost the cupcakes with a knife. Serve the cupcakes chilled. The cupcakes will remain fresh stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
