The Best Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

These carrot cake cupcakes? THE BEST.

My sister is having a baby! And I am having a CUPCAKE!

Ohhh yeah. Babies and cupcakes. Things are about to get awesome.

I hosted a baby shower for my sister this last weekend because I like to try to defy reality by hosting baby showers in my small new house after moving in roughly ten days ago. Boxes shoved in closets, nothing on the walls, and people and presents and flowers galore. Lovely. Juuust lovely.

The Best Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Okay actually, it was lovely. And if I had one fraction of a thing to do with the cuteness of the baby shower, it was my contribution of carrot cake cupcakes. Which are life-changingly, hate to say it, but, moist, and will forever be a part of my baby shower recipe repertoire. Remember Ang’s shower years ago? Same cupcakes. Same deliciousness. Same cream cheese frosting in my hair for weeks.

In the next few days I’ll share some pics from the real shower including of my sister’s baby boy belly which will probably melt your face off. Is that exploitative? Please friends, come back to see pictures of my sister’s adorable (clothed) belly. Not weird at all. Mmmhm.

For today, you get this recipe, which is basically the whole reason I hosted the shower. I mean, babies are cute and everything, but CUPCAKES.

With CREAM CHEESE FROSTING.

Go forth.

The Best Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Description

These are the best carrot cake cupcakes I’ve ever had! With a cream cheese frosting, of course. Perfect for dessert or brunch!

Ingredients

For the cupcakes

1 cup flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups grated carrots (heaping)
2/3 cup oil
2 eggs, beaten

For the frosting

4 ounces cream cheese
4 tablespoons butter
2+ cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the grated carrots and the oil. Slowly add the flour mixture, stirring until just mixed. Add the beaten eggs and stir a few times (like 15 or less around the bowl – the fewer the better)!
Grease a muffin tin or use paper liners. Scoop the batter into a muffin tin, filling each muffin tin about 2/3 of the way up the side. Bake for 13 minutes, check how they’re doing, and add a few minutes if necessary. I find that the baking time varies greatly with oven, so just check for the right golden brown color and springy tops. Allow the cupcakes to cool.
For the frosting, blend the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until smooth. Slowly beat in the powdered sugar until smooth. Transfer to a plastic bag or similar tool for piping the frosting evenly on the cupcakes.

Notes

(Baking directly in the muffin tin without the liners is my favorite way to bake these, but it’s harder to get the perfect light brown color on the sides because they often get too dark brown. The ones pictured here turned out perfectly, but if you’re unsure, just use paper liners.)

If you love cream cheese frosting A LOT, you need to double the frosting. Having a little extra has never been a problem for me.

Serves 12

Calories Per Serving: 362

% Daily Value

34% Total Fat 22g

17% Cholesterol 50.7mg

10% Sodium 236.8mg

13% Total Carbohydrate 39.4g

Sugars 30g

6% Protein 2.9g

13% Vitamin A 202.2µg

2% Vitamin C 0.9mg