By Jesse Szewczyk
Updated Oct. 11, 2023
- Total Time
- 1½ hours
- Prep Time
- 10 minutes
- Cook Time
- 45 minutes, plus 35 minutes cooling
- Rating
- 4(412)
- Notes
- Read community notes
These simple, fuss-free cupcakes cram all of the beloved flavors of classic carrot cake into nostalgic, portable treats. The batter is made with melted butter, allowing you to quickly mix it in one bowl. It’s flavored with a generous amount of ground cinnamon and shredded carrots to add an earthy flavor and unbeatable moistness. An optional add-in of chopped nuts or raisins lets you customize the batter to produce your ideal version of carrot cake. Finishing the cupcakes with a swoosh of fluffy, just-sweet-enough cream cheese frosting makes them fit for any celebration.
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Ingredients
Yield:12 cupcakes
- ¾cup/170 grams melted unsalted butter
- ¾cup/165 grams packed light brown sugar
- 2teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
- 2large eggs
- 1⅓cups/170 grams all-purpose flour
- 2teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¾teaspoon baking soda
- ¾teaspoon baking powder
- 1⅓cups/170 grams finely grated carrots (from 3 or 4 medium carrots), see Tip
- ½cup/61 grams chopped walnuts, pecans, raisins or a combination of all three (optional)
- 4ounces/113 grams cream cheese, at room temperature
- ¼cup/57 grams unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
- 1⅔cups/213 grams confectioners’ sugar, plus more as needed
For the Cupcakes
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (12 servings)
379 calories; 20 grams fat; 12 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 6 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 49 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 35 grams sugars; 4 grams protein; 241 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
Step
1
Position a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 350 degrees. Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
Step
2
In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, light brown sugar, vanilla extract and salt until smooth and glossy, about 20 seconds. Add the eggs one at a time, whisking until smooth and no streaks of unincorporated whites remain before adding the next.
Step
3
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda and baking powder. Add to the butter mixture and stir with a rubber spatula just until no pockets of unincorporated flour remain. (Try not to overmix.) Add the grated carrots and optional nuts and raisins (if using) and stir just until the carrot shreds are evenly distributed throughout the batter.
Step
4
Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin cups using a cookie scoop or two spoons until they are about three-fourths of the way full. Bake until the tops of the cupcakes are slightly domed and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean with just a few moist crumbs attached, 17 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool completely in the muffin tin.
Step
5
While the cupcakes are cooling, make the frosting: Combine the cream cheese, butter, vanilla extract and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment (or in a large bowl, if using a hand mixer). Beat on medium speed until thoroughly combined, 1 to 2 minutes. Decrease the speed to low and add the confectioners’ sugar, one spoonful at a time with the mixer running, stopping and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, until completely incorporated. Increase the speed to high and beat the frosting until light and fluffy, adding additional confectioners’ sugar as needed to achieve a firm frosting consistency, 2 to 3 minutes.
Step
6
Once the cupcakes have fully cooled, frost the tops using a pastry bag, offset spatula or large spoon.
Tip
- Use the side of a box grater with the medium holes to finely grate the carrots.
Ratings
4
out of 5
412
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Cooking Notes
mls
In my double layer carrot cake, my recipe calls for well-drained crushed pineapple. Any ideas how to add this ingredient to these *right* sized carrot cakes. thank you!
Barb K
At last a recipe that states how many grams of carrots, what size, and how to grate them! THANK YOU NEW YORK TIMES!!!
Brie
Why not just make a full batch and freeze them (before frosting) for a quick treat at a later date? Just let thaw at room temp and make a small batch fresh cream cheese frosting or make it even easier and just spread on some softened cream cheese like a muffin. I hope you enjoy your treats!
BSH
Do you think I could make one cake instead of cupcakes? Either round or loaf shaped?
audrey
Do yourself a favour and brown the butter for the icing…you will not regret it.
Dan
Definitely add raisins! And to give a pleasing tang to the frosting, moisten with 1 tbsp (or more, to taste) of fresh squeezed lemon juice, and skip the vanilla extract. Yum!!
Mrs Cleaver
I made these for myself on Mother’s Day. Over baked by a minute but fluffy beautiful icing made up for it. Only got 8 cupcakes, not 12. My granddaughter ate several. Thank you!
CarolB
Yes, I'd make it in a 9" round pan that's buttered and lined with parchment paper also buttered. check after 30 to 35 minutes
Meera
came out lovely. very helpful to have the measurements in grams. Thank You. I reduced the cinnamon and added cardamon, and a dash of nutmeg to get them a warmer spicier taste and it was delicious.
Betsy
I have frozen frosted cupcakes and they thaw beautifully.
Frances
I made these according to directions. I chose to only add pecans. And my icing only had 80g of confectioner sugar (was all I had) but I didn't even miss the rest, as it was plenty sweet. Had to bake for 22 minutes to get them done. Easy and delicious and like the recipe stated, very portable.
gina
Most carrot cake recipes call for oil rather than butter which I personally don’t like, so I was happy to find this! I used about 2/3 of the amount of sugar suggested and the cupcakes came out plenty sweet. For the frosting, I just whipped together cream cheese and confectioner’s sugar, with a dash of cream. Lighter and more savoury than with butter, as well as easier.
maria
These were very yummy. I made them for my grandson and topped them just with whipped cream cheese for him. Made them mini size. Lots of carrots. How can they be bad for you?
Ellen
I loved these. For whatever reason they were better than carrot cake. Perfect balance of flavors. Super moist. And who doesn’t love cream cheese frosting.
CBB
Adding the zest of 1 orange and 1 lemon will brighten the cream cheese frosting!
Beth
I love nutmeg, added a dash. The texture of these cupcakes is lovely. I donate a lot of deserts to charity auctions and this recipe beats other recipes for cupcakes. Next time I might try a 1/2c of coconut, and the tip about cardamon sounds fabulous.
Katie
Good with suggested adjustment of 1/3-1/5 the sugar amount in the frosting. Also took around 21 min to bake. Made 14 cupcakes but not enough frosting for all
Patricia Collins
Made these today withGluten free flour and they turned out great. Will definitely make again. Thanks for the simple recipe.
Diane
This is my go to frosting I feel good about giving my grandkids.8 oz cream cheese, 5 Tbs butter,1 tsp vanilla, 4 Tbs honey or more to taste. Beat until fluffy. I made these muffins and they turned out so moist and delicious no frosting was needed! Wonderful and a keeper.
deb
Good frosting
Susan
Oh the joy of finding a recipe utilizing weights! So much easier to be consistent. I added pecans, and candied ginger instead of raisins. Was just a little short on cream cheese for the frosting, so I supplemented with about three tablespoons of sour cream. Will definitely do that again—keeps the frosting from being too cloying.
Carol
Used Pamela’s GF baking mix and added 1/2 teaspoon of each Baking sofa and baking powder but cupcakes were flat; add full recipe amount next time. Butter oozed outside of cupcake liners, which was a drag. Cupcakes didn’t taste dry tho. Frosting needs tweaking. Maybe use Phila cream cheese
mary
These are delicious little bite size carrot cakes! I adapted by filling the cupcakes with the icing with a filling tip on the bottom, then glazed them with a basic donut glaze then making little decorations on top with the same icing. It takes a little longer but if you bake because you love to bake it’s a little fun adaption.
mary
Oh! I just used bakery cooking spray for the muffin pan instead of liners to make them easier to glaze and fill after cooling.
Jeff in Ottawa
Try adding drained chopped Pineapple. Canadian Living has a good recipe...https://www.canadianliving.com/food/baking-and-desserts/recipe/canada-s-best-carrot-cake-with-cream-cheese-icing-1And please! Toast your pecans for 5 minutes before choping and adding to the batter.
LAinLA
Absolutely delicious crowd pleaser. I used half the sugar in the frosting and no one minded.
Ilene
Halved the cinnamon. Since quite a few "dry" comments I used canola oil instead of butter. That is what I use in my carrot cake which is never dry. I used 3/4 of the oil to the butter measurement. Very moist. It needed 22-23 minutes. I also thought it could have been sweeter. I never grate carrots. I pulse them in the food processor. Also no problem freezing with the icing.
nami
Can these be made gluten free??
Patricia Collins
Yes I made the with that only substitution and they turned out great
Rachel
Wondering how to make this recipe more open textured? My cupcakes were very dense when though I barely mixed.
glynn
Baked this per the recipe and it was great. Done after 18mi s and I got 16 cakes so maybe smaller cupcake papers? In any case this makes way too much frosting for my taste so probably with half he butter next time and see how that goes.
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