This recipe is adapted from marthastewart.com and it’s actually John Baricelli’s recipe, but I altered some measures according to my taste. In the past month, I have tried and tested various recipes for carrot cake, pumpkin cake and pumpkin cupcakes. These carrot cupcakes are definitely the best of them all. The recipe is a keeper.
Print
Carrot cupcakes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 12 cupcakes 1x
Description
These gorgeous carrot cupcakes are a delightful twist on the classic carrot cake, featuring a moist crumb and warm spices.
Ingredients
Cupcake batter
- 1 3/4 cups (200 g) all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ginger
- pinch of nutmeg
- 3/4 cup (170 g) butter
- 1 cup (200 g) brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) milk
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 4 medium sized carrots
Cream cheese and orange frosting
- 7 oz (200 g) cream cheese
- 1 cup (100 g) powdered sugar
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp orange zest
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 374°F (190°C). Line a cupcake tin with paper liners.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Set aside.
- Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat or in the microwave. Allow it to cool slightly.
- In a large bowl, whisk the egg with the brown sugar until well combined. Stir in the melted butter, milk, and vanilla extract.
- Wash, peel, and grate the carrots. Fold the grated carrots into the wet mixture.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, stirring gently until just combined.
- Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake liners, filling each about two-thirds full.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and let the cupcakes cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Store the cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- For a twist, add chopped walnuts or raisins to the batter.
- These cupcakes pair wonderfully with cream cheese frosting.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cupcake
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 18
- Sodium: 200
- Fat: 14
- Carbohydrates: 30
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 3
- Cholesterol: 45
If You Liked This Recipe, You’ll Love These
- Sicilian Orange Cake
- Glazed Orange Pound Cake with Orange Zest
- Sicilian Crostata with Orange Marmalade
- Cast Iron Skillet Orange Rosemary Focaccia
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does this recipe use melted butter instead of the creamed butter typical of most cupcakes?
The recipe melts the 3/4 cup of butter and lets it cool slightly before whisking it with the egg and brown sugar, rather than creaming softened butter. This produces a denser, moister crumb — which is well suited to the grated carrots that keep the cupcakes moist as they bake at 374°F (190°C) for 18–20 minutes. 
What gives the cream cheese frosting its orange flavor?
The frosting combines 7 oz cream cheese, 1 cup powdered sugar, and 1 tbsp vanilla extract with 1 tsp of orange zest. The zest is the source of the citrus note — it brightens the frosting and complements the cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg in the cupcake batter.
For how many people is this recipe?