Some of the links below are affiliate links, so we may receive a commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link. Check our Disclosure in the Privacy Policy for more info.
Carrot Cake Cupcakes & Muffins Recipe
If you love carrot cake, then you’re going to love these carrot cake muffins. They’re the mini version of my carrot cake traybake: with all the same flavours, delicious frosting, and ultra-light texture.
If you’ve got a bunch of carrots around, then there’s only one thing you should be making – carrot cake! I’m excited to share my recipe for the most delicious carrot cake muffins with you, and trust me, they taste incredible – not to blow my own trumpet.
The texture is super moist and perfectly spiced with cinnamon, mixed spice and ginger, and there’s a smooth layer of cream cheese frosting to top it all off.
Carrot cake is so simple to turn into cupcakes or muffins, and I’m pretty sure you’ll have most of the ingredients at home already. This recipe uses a mixture of basic ingredients to make a snack that is truly irresistible.
Why You’ll Like This Recipe
- Un-iced muffins are perfect for breakfast or with tea
- It’s packed with spice, but the flavours are not overpowering!
- The texture is incredibly soft, light and moist
- It’s ready in under an hour!!
Carrot cake and Easter are pretty much synonyms here in the UK. Whenever I think of carrot cake, Easter is never too far away. With that being said, here a few of my favourite Easter desserts!
These super smooth Easter egg cheesecakes and flaky puff pastry Easter nests are both must-try recipes, and of course, I have to mention Shredded Wheat Nests.
Watch How To Make It
Recipe Ingredients
Below are the few ingredients needed to make these muffins, you can also make carrot cake cupcakes; the difference is in the size of cupcake cases or muffin cases you use:
- Flour: I always use self-raising flour and bicarbonate of soda to create a light and fluffy texture.
- Carrots: Fresh carrots are best to use; I used one and a half medium-sized carrots.
- Oil: I used sunflower oil, though you can use vegetable oil or any mild-flavoured oil.
- Eggs: Use 4 medium eggs left at room temperature for best results.
- Sugar: I like to use light brown sugar though you can use dark brown sugar, or half of both for a darker cake colour.
- Spices & Flavourings: Vanilla extract, grated orange zest and a mixture of cinnamon, mixed spice and ground ginger create the classic carrot cake flavour. You can also add half a teaspoon of nutmeg for added oomph.
- Cream Cheese Frosting: To make the frosting, I whisked icing sugar, butter, vanilla extract and cream cheese together. The frosting is then topped with a sprinkling of diced walnuts.
How To Make Carrot Cake Muffins
Below is a step-by-step guide on how I make these carrot cake muffins, full UK recipe instructions are on the recipe card below:
Step One:
Preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C Fan, gas mark 4) and line a muffin or cupcake tin with cake cases. Whilst the oven is preheating, grate your carrots and zest the peel of one orange.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together sunflower oil, sugar, vanilla extract and eggs until combined. Then, add grated carrots and orange zest to the bowl and whisk together until evenly distributed.
Step Two:
Pour flour, bicarbonate of soda, cinnamon, ground ginger and mixed spice to the mixing bowl and mix together.
Step Three:
Spoon the carrot cake mixture into your cases, filling them only up to 3/4 full to avoid overspilling. Bake in the oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until the cakes are golden brown. Once baked, set them aside to cool down.
Step Four:
Add butter to a large mixing bowl and whisk until light and fluffy. Pour the icing sugar into the mixing bowl and whisk again until evenly distributed.
Add cream cheese and vanilla extract to the mixing bowl and whisk together until evenly combined and any bumps have smoothed out.
Pipe or spoon the frosting onto each cake and decorate with chopped walnuts and iced carrot.
Cream Cheese Frosting
Cream cheese frosting is one of those icings that can be difficult to get right. This is because, being made with cream cheese, the texture is a lot looser and runnier than standard buttercream icings.
I’ve written a dedicated post on the blog on how to make cream cheese frosting, providing detailed steps to ensure the frosting turns out perfect every time.
A quick note here (just in case you don’t look at the guide). When mixing the butter and icing sugar together, it can take some time as the mixture may resemble breadcrumbs and not mould together easily. To speed up this step, once the mixture looks like breadcrumbs, you can mould it together with your hands and then whisk to smooth it out.
My Top Tips
Occasionally, I like to prep my carrots by shredding them the night before and leaving them in the fridge until I’m ready to bake the next day. I prefer using a medium-sized grater to achieve pieces that are not too large or small.
Wash your carrots if they’re dirty and have soil on them, you can also grate the carrots first before shredding them.
Cooking times may vary depending on the type of oven you are using, typically it takes me between 12 to 15 minutes.
How To Store Carrot Cake Muffins
Keep any leftovers in the fridge (as the icing is made with cream cheese). Eat iced muffins within 2 to 3 days.
If you’ve left the cake undecorated, then you don’t need to store it in the fridge. Wrap it in clingfilm and store in an airtight container at room temperature and eat within 3 to 5 days.
More Cake Recipes
Carrot Cake Muffins
Ingredients
Carrot Muffins
- 150 g Self-Raising Flour
- ½ tsp Bicarbonate Of Soda
- 175 ml Sunflower Oil
- 175 g Grated Carrots ( 1 ½ Medium Carrots)
- 175 g Light Brown Sugar
- 2 Eggs
- 1 Orange Zest
- 1 tsp Cinnamon
- ½ tsp Mixed Spice
- ½ tsp Ground Ginger
- ½ tsp Vanilla Extract
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 100 g Icing Sugar
- 50 g Butter
- ½ tsp Vanilla Extract
- 100 g Cream Cheese
- Chopped Walnuts (Optional)
Instructions
Carrot Cake Muffins
- Preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C Fan, gas mark 4) and line a muffin or cupcake tin with cake cases. Whilst the oven is preheating, grate your carrots and zest the peel of one orange.175 g Grated Carrots, 1 Orange Zest
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together sunflower oil, sugar, vanilla extract and eggs until combined. Then, add grated carrots and orange zest to the bowl and whisk together until evenly distributed.175 ml Sunflower Oil, 175 g Light Brown Sugar, 2 Eggs, ½ tsp Vanilla Extract
- Pour flour, bicarbonate of soda, cinnamon, ground ginger and mixed spice to the mixing bowl and mix together.150 g Self-Raising Flour, ½ tsp Bicarbonate Of Soda, 1 tsp Cinnamon, ½ tsp Mixed Spice, ½ tsp Ground Ginger
- Spoon the carrot cake mixture into your cases, filling them only up to 3/4 full to avoid overspilling. Bake in the oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until the cakes are golden brown. Once baked, set them aside to cool down.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- Add butter to a large mixing bowl and whisk until light and fluffy. Pour the icing sugar into the mixing bowl and whisk again until evenly distributed. (See Notes For Tips).50 g Butter, 100 g Icing Sugar
- Add cream cheese and vanilla extract to the mixing bowl and whisk together until evenly combined and any bumps have smoothed out.100 g Cream Cheese, ½ tsp Vanilla Extract
- Pipe or spoon the frosting onto each cake and decorate with chopped walnuts or iced carrot.Chopped Walnuts
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Music in video from Uppbeat, License code: 08VBCZFHCZBZDBBY
Leave a Reply