Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
Carrot cake cupcakes with cream cheese frosting are so moist (thanks to crushed pineapple and Greek yogurt) and flavorful and baked to fluffy, carroty perfection!
Servings:24 servings
Ingredients
- 10 ounces grated carrots
- 3 eggs
- ½ cup plain greek yogurt, (I used 0% fat)
- ½ cup crushed pineapple , (drained)
- ½ cup oil
- ⅓ cup buttermilk
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups sugar
- 3 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ginger
- 1 teaspoon salt
Frosting
- 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 8 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3-4 cups powdered sugar
- optional: sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 and line muffin tins with cupcake wrappers. In a large bowl combine carrots and next seven ingredients and mix with a hand mixer until smooth. In another bowl whisk together flour and next five ingredients. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until just combined (don't over mix).
- Pour batter into prepared pans, filling each wrapper about 3/4 full. Bake 20-22 minutes until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool completely.
Frosting
- In a large bowl cream together butter and cream cheese until fluffy (2-3 minutes). Mix in vanilla. Add powdered sugar one cup at a time until frosting reaches desired consistency (for piping I suggest closer to 4 cups for a stiffer frosting that will hold up).
- Spread or pipe onto cupcakes. Top with sprinkles if desired. Store in airtight container at room temperature.
Notes
- For best results, freshly grate the carrots. Pre-shredded carrots are already too dry in the package by the time they are purchased. What you'll end up with is a moist cake with hard bits of uniform carrots interspersed throughout, instead of shreds of carrot that melt seamlessly into the cake and add that needed extra moisture plus a hint of sweet carrot taste.
- Be sure to have your butter and cream cheese at room temperature before making the frosting. Room temperature butter and cream cheese is key because it's waaaaay easier to cream together and will mix and feel very smooth when you taste it. If you try to beat it together cold, you'll end up with lumpy icing.
- No Greek yogurt? No problem, you can substitute plain yogurt, sour cream, extra buttermilk, whipped cottage cheese, or even a smooth tofu.
- Good ideas for mix-ins in this carrot cake cupcake batter includes raisins (I have to acknowledge some people do like these wrinkled grapes), walnut or pecan pieces. These ingredients also work well sprinkled over the top of the icing instead of sprinkles too if you prefer.
Nutrition
Calories: 222 kcal, Carbohydrates: 37 g, Protein: 3 g, Fat: 7 g, Saturated Fat: 2 g, Trans Fat: 1 g, Cholesterol: 26 mg, Sodium: 189 mg, Potassium: 72 mg, Fiber: 1 g, Sugar: 27 g, Vitamin A: 1442 IU, Vitamin C: 1 mg, Calcium: 43 mg, Iron: 1 mg
