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image of a carrot cake cupcake that's been decorated with a cute white chocolate bunny for Easter
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4.84 from 12 ratings

Easter Carrot Cake Cupcakes

These carrot cake cupcakes are the perfect spring time treat!! They're moist, tender and topped with a tangy cream cheese frosting and crunchy walnut brittle. It's the ultimate combination of textures and flavors!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time22 minutes
Additional Time30 minutes
Total Time1 hour 2 minutes
Course: Cupcakes
Cuisine: American
Servings: 12 cupcakes
Calories: 487kcal
Author: Chelsey White

Ingredients

Carrot Cake Cupcakes

  • 2/3 cup vegetable or canola oil 150g
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar 100g
  • 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar 100g
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature 112g
  • 1/2 tsp fine salt 3g
  • 1 cup all purpose flour 125g
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon 4g
  • 1/4 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/8 tsp ground cloves
  • 3/4 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1 1/2 cups finely grated carrots 210g
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts 56g

Spiced Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 1/2 cup cream cheese, room temperature 113g
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature 56g
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 4ml
  • 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp fine salt
  • 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 2 cups powdered sugar 250g

Walnut Brittle Topping

  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar 100g
  • 3 Tbsp water 45gml
  • 1/3 cup walnuts, finely chopped 40g

Cupcake Decoration

  • Parchment Paper
  • Small Piping Bag
  • 1/2 cup White Chocolate Chips

Instructions

  • Carrot Cake Cupcakes
  • Preheat the oven to 350 F / 175 C and line a muffin pan with 12 liners. Set aside.
  • In a large bowl whisk together 2/3 cup vegetable oil, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 light brown sugar, 2 large eggs and 1/2 tsp fine salt.
  • Sift 1 cup flour, 2 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp ginger, 1/8 tsp cloves, 3/4 tsp baking powder and 1/4 tsp of baking soda into the wet ingredients. If you don't have a mesh sifter, whisk the dry ingredients together in a separate bowl then pour into the wet ingredients.
  • Whisk until just combined, then fold in 1 1/2 cups of finely grated carrots and 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed with a rubber spatula.
  • Divide the batter evenly between the liners and bake for 21-23 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of a cupcake comes out clean.
  • Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then carefully remove them from the pan and place on a wire rack to finish cooling.
  • Spiced Cream Cheese Frosting
  • While the cupcakes cool, work on the spiced cream cheese frosting.
  • In a medium-sized bowl, beat together 1/2 cup of cream cheese and 1/4 cup of unsalted butter. Mix on a medium speed for a minute until smooth.
  • Add 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1/4 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp fine salt, and 1/8 tsp nutmeg. Mix on a low speed until combined.
  • Gradually mix in 2 cups of powdered sugar on a low speed. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Continue to mix on a low speed for 30 seconds to make sure everything is mixed together properly.
  • Place the frosting in a large piping bag and set aside.
  • Walnut Brittle Topping
  • The last step is to make the walnut brittle! This is optional but really adds to the texture of these cupcakes.
  • Line a baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper and set aside.
  • Combine 1/2 cup of granulated sugar and 3 Tbsp of water a small saucepan and heat over a medium-high heat. Do not stir the mixture!
  • Continue to cook the mixture until it reaches 320 F / 160 C, then remove the mixture from heat. This usually takes me about 10 minutes.
  • Pour 1/3 cup of finely chopped walnuts into the sugar mixture, then pour the mixture onto the prepared pan to cool.
  • Once the mixture has fully cooled and hardened, use a sharp knife to cut the brittle into small pieces.
  • Decorating These Carrot Cake Cupcakes
  • Place 1/2 cup of white chocolate in a small piping bag and seal the top with a rubber band. Heat the white chocolate in the microwave in 15 second intervals until it's melted.
  • Snip a small opening in the piping bag and pipe 12 bunnies that are roughly 1 1/2-inches tall onto a piece of parchment paper. I like to draw out a little bunny and use it as a template underneath the parchment paper. Let the white chocolate cool fully until the bunnies are firm to the touch.
  • Pipe a swirl of frosting on top of each cooled cupcake and sprinkle generously with the chopped-up walnut brittle.
  • Press a white chocolate bunny into the center of each cupcake and enjoy!

Video

Notes

Making Mini Carrot Cake Cupcakes

If you want to make mini carrot cake cupcakes, this recipe can be baked in mini muffin tins! It makes about 40 mini cupcakes, and they only need to bake for 10-12 minutes at 350 F / 175 C.

Tips for Making the Best Carrot Cake Cupcakes

  • Ingredients at room temp mix together better. Be sure you set out any cold ingredients ahead of time.
  • Properly measure your flour (spoon into the cup measure and then level) or use a kitchen scale to measure your dry ingredients.
  • Once you add the flour, mix your cupcake batter just until the ingredients are incorporated. This will ensure your cupcakes are tender and fluffy.
  • Use a large cookie scoop to easily fill your cupcake liners. It also makes sure your cupcakes end up being the same height.
  • Bang your cupcake pan on the counter before putting it in the oven. This brings any air bubbles that are trapped in the batter to the surface.
  • Seal off the top of your piping bag with a rubber band to prevent any frosting from seeping out the top of the bag and make the piping bags easier to use.

Carrot Cake Cupcake Variations

To make gluten free carrot cake cupcakes, swap in your favorite gluten free flour blend for the AP flour this recipe calls for, and be sure to over-mix your batter and let it sit for at least 30 minutes before baking for best results.

Making These Carrot Cake Cupcakes In Advance & Storage Tips

Make your cupcakes in advance! If stored unfrosted in an airtight container, they can last for 2 days at room temp, up to a week in the fridge, or up to 3 months in the freezer.
Make your frosting ahead of time too or save any leftover frosting! It can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, or in the freezer for up to a month. Be sure to give it a good stir once it thaws to get the consistency nice and smooth again.
Frosted cupcakes can sit out at room temperature for up to 3 hours or be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container. However, I find frosting them right before serving is best.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 487kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 19g | Cholesterol: 52mg | Sodium: 264mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 47g