Carrot cake cupcakes feature carrots, pecans, light brown sugar, ground cinnamon, Greek yogurt, and vanilla bean paste. Tender cupcakes are topped with dark chocolate frosting. Garnished with buttercream carrots.
Why You Should Make This Cupcake Recipe
- the carrot + pecan + brown sugar + cinnamon + vanilla bean paste combo is delicious.
- carrot cake + chocolate buttercream.
- they’re cute.
- the carrot cake batter makes cupcakes, mini cakes, or a layer cake.
- these carrot cake cupcakes store very well.
How To Make These Carrot Cake Cupcakes
I use my food processor to shred peeled carrots, and then combine the carrots with the chopped pecans until they are processed into a fine mix. (Alternately, the carrots can be finely grated by hand, the pecans finely chopped by hand and combined.)
The carrot/pecan mix is transferred from the food processor to a large mixing bowl.
Light brown sugar, granulated sugar, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and ground cinnamon are added to a small mixing bowl. The ingredients are whisked to combine and added to the carrot mixture. The mix is stirred with a wooden spoon or a spatula until well combined.
Vegetable oil and Greek yogurt are added to the mix along with two lightly beaten eggs and a splash of vanilla bean paste. The mixture is stirred until the well combined.
An ice cream scoop or large cookie scoop is used to evenly divide the batter between the paper lined cupcake tins. I fill each liner about 3/4 full.
The cupcakes are baked in a preheated 350 degrees F. oven for 22 minutes. The tops of the cupcakes should be firm to the touch. The cupcake tins are removed from the oven and cooled on wire racks. The cupcakes are removed from the tins and cooled completely before frosting.
I made three buttercream frostings for these cupcakes (see recipes below). I spread the chocolate on with a small offset spatula, piped the orange buttercream on with a piping bag and a Wilton 2A tip, and piped the green buttercream with a Wilton 2D.
Other Cupcake Recipes You Might Enjoy
Some of our most popular cupcake recipes include: vanilla bean cupcakes, chocolate cupcakes, pear cupcakes, caramel apple cupcakes, and orange cupcakes.
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Carrot Cake Cupcakes
Equipment
- 2 (12 cup) muffin pans
Ingredients
Carrot Cake Cupcakes:
- 400 grams raw peeled orange carrots, roughly chopped
- 120 grams chopped pecans (1 cup)
- 175 grams light brown sugar (3/4 cup)
- 100 grams granulated sugar (1/2 cup)
- 225 grams all-purpose flour (1-2/3 cups)
- 5 grams baking powder (1 teaspoon)
- 5 grams baking soda (1 teaspoon)
- 4 grams ground cinnamon (1-1/2 teaspoons)
- 120 grams vegetable oil (1/2 cup)
- 70 grams Greek yogurt (1/4 cup)
- 100 grams egg (2 large), lightly beaten
- 10 grams vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract (2 teaspoons)
Chocolate Buttercream:
- 170 grams chopped dark chocolate or semisweet chocolate chips (6 ounces)
- 113 grams unsalted butter (1 stick OR 1/2 cup), softened
- 1 grams sea salt (1/4 teaspoon)
- 250 grams powdered sugar (2 cups), sifted
- 10 grams vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract (2 teaspoons)
- 30 grams heavy cream or milk (2 tablespoons)
Orange Buttercream:
- 56 grams unsalted butter (1/2 stick OR 1/4 cup), softened
- 125 grams powdered sugar (1 cup), sifted
- 5 grams vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract (1 teaspoon)
- 15 grams frozen orange concentrate, orange puree, or orange juice (1 tablespoon)
- 1 drop orange food coloring gel
- 1 drop orange extract (optional)
Green Buttercream:
- 56 grams unsalted butter (1/2 stick OR 1/4 cup), softened
- 125 grams powdered sugar (1 cup), sifted
- 5 grams vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract (1 teaspoon)
- 15 grams heavy cream or milk (1 tablespoon)
- 1 drop green food coloring gel
Instructions
Carrot Cake Cupcakes:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two (12 cavity) cupcake tins with 18 paper cupcake liners.
- Add roughly chopped carrots to food processor and pulse until very finely chopped. Add pecans and pulse until well combined. Set aside.
- Add light brown sugar, granulated sugar, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and ground cinnamon to medium mixing bowl. Whisk to combine.
- Add carrot mixture to flour mixture and stir to combine.
- Add vegetable oil, Greek yogurt, lightly beaten eggs and vanilla bean paste to small mixing bowl. Whisk to combine.
- Add egg mixture to carrot/flour mixture. Fold together with spatula until smooth.
- Divide cake batter evenly between prepared muffin pans. Bake 22 minutes, or until the cupcakes are firm to the touch, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove pans from oven and place on wire rack for several minutes. Remove cupcakes from pans and cool completely before decorating.
Chocolate Buttercream:
- Add the dark chocolate chunks to a microwavable bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds. Stir and microwave for 10 seconds. Repeat until smooth and completely smooth. Set aside to cool.
- Add softened unsalted butter to stand mixer. Beat on medium speed for 5 minutes.
- Add sea salt and 1 cup sifted powdered sugar and beat on low until incorporated.
- Add melted chocolate and beat on low until smooth and creamy.
- Add remaining powdered sugar and heavy cream. Beat on low to incorporate. Increase speed to medium and beat for 5 minutes.
Orange Buttercream:
- Add unsalted butter to stand mixer. Beat on medium for 5 minutes.
- Add sifted powdered sugar, vanilla bean paste, frozen orange concentrate, orange food gel, and orange extract to stand mixer. Beat on low to incorporate. Increase speed to medium and beat for 5 minutes.
Green Buttercream:
- Add unsalted butter to stand mixer. Beat on medium for 5 minutes.
- Add sifted powdered sugar, vanilla bean paste, heavy cream and green food gel to stand mixer. Beat on low to incorporate. Increase speed to medium and beat for 5 minutes.
