Brown Sugar Carrot Cupcakes
This website uses affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission if you click on the link and make a purchase.
My Brown Sugar Carrot Cupcakes make the perfect fall cupcake! These moist carrot cupcakes have a richer flavor than most because they're made with brown sugar. I top these with cream cheese frosting for a nostalgic treat!
If you love carrot cake as much as I do, check out my Carrot Cookies with Orange Frosting, Vegan Strawberry Carrot Cake, or my Orange Ginger Carrot Cake.
I am beyond excited to share this recipe today! I have been holding onto this recipe until fall, as these are the perfect fall carrot cupcakes. Behold — my Brown Sugar Carrot Cupcakes recipe. Seriously, this is probably one of my all time favorite organic cupcakes, it's so good!
These moist carrot cupcakes use both brown sugar and cane sugar, and I added a pinch of nutmeg into this one in addition to cinnamon. And I top these organic cupcakes with a cream cheese frosting (as god intended — catch that reference anyone? My favorite scene from Orange is the New Black, where he disses red velvet, so hilarious)!
This Brown Sugar Carrot Cupcakes recipe is so easy. This is like a dump cake guys, one bowl, a spoon, whisk, or spatula — whatever you got, it works. You can also use your stand mixer as well, and I prefer, as it's totally hands free and comes together in minutes. Either way you decide to mix up the batter, it makes these carrot cupcakes so easy to make anytime!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
Elevated Classic: This recipe for Brown Sugar Carrot Cupcakes is an elevated twist on classic carrot cupcakes. With the addition of brown sugar, these organic cupcakes are a rich and more decadent version.
Cream Cheese Frosting: If you're a fan of cream cheese frosting, you'll love this recipe! The tang of the cream cheese forsting pairs so well with the rich carrot cake.
Easy AF: I love this recipe because it's one bowl kind of cake. You can use your stand mixer, hand mixer, or even a bowl with a spatula to mix it up!
Organic Cupcakes: While you can get carrot cupcakes at most bakeries or even grocery store bakeries, making your own at home with organic ingredients will give you a higher quality and more delicious treat!
Ingredients
- All Purpose Flour: I use organic all purpose flour because these carrot cupcakes are incredibly moist with the grated carrots already, so all purpose flour will give these more structure.
- Cinnamon: I always add cinnamon into my carrot cupcakes. My favorite is organic Korintje cinnamon. Read more about the Best Cinnamon to Bake With and the different varieties.
- Nutmeg: I also add organic nutmeg into these for a little more spice.
- Baking Powder: Use baking powder, not soda. Be sure to check out my post the Difference Between Baking Soda and Baking Powder for more info on leavening agents.
- Salt: Use fine sea salt.
- Carrots: I use organic carrots that are finely grated. Be sure to use a fine grater. While using a large grater may seem faster, the larger grate won't bake into the cupcakes as well and may result in a gummy texture.
- Light Brown Sugar: I use my homemade light brown sugar recipe, but store bought is also fine. This creates more moist carrot cupcakes.
- Cane Sugar: I also use organic cane sugar. This is less processed than granulated white sugar with. a more subtle natural sweetness.
- Eggs: Use large eggs.
- Canola Oil: I use organic canola oil as its the most neutral oil. If you are avoiding seed oils, then you can use avocado oil or EVOO.
- Powdered Sugar: Make sure to sift your powdered sugar so you get a really smooth cream cheese frosting.
- Butter: I use Organic Valley Salted Butter in the cream cheese frosting, you can use your favorite. Just be sure your butter is softened.
- Cream Cheese: You can use cream cheese from a tub or a block, either will work.
- Vanilla Extract: Use a high quality vanilla extract, not imitation.
Subscribe to Mimi's Organic Eats Channel
Subscribe to my YouTube Channel for all the latest videos. Bake and cook along with John John and me on YouTube!
Subscribing is easy and just by subscribing, you are directly supporting my site!
Tools Needed
- Scale: Always use a digital food scale for the best results.
- Stand Mixer: I use my stand mixer for ease, but you prefer to use a hand mixer you can.
- Cupcake Pan: You'll need a cupcake pan.
- Piping Bag: You'll need a large piping bag to pipe the frosting.
- Decorating Tip: I use Ateco tip #808. But this is just a simple round tip, so if you don't have this, you can just cut a hole in the piping bag for a very similar look.
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a cupcake liner with cupcake liners.
Step 2
To make the batter: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, sea salt, and nutmeg. Mix for 2 to 3 rotations, just to combine the dry ingredients. Add the carrots, light brown sugar, cane sugar, eggs, and canola oil and mix on low until combined. Scoop into cupcake liners filling almost all the way full.
Step 3
Bake for 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely in the cupcake pans.
Step 4
To make the frosting: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. Mix on low to combine, then speed mixer up to high for 1 minute or until light and fluffy.
Step 5
Transfer to a piping bag with Ateco tip #808. Frost cupcakes by piping a large dollop on top.
Baker's Tips
- Use a fine grater for grating the carrots. This will help give the best texture in your carrot cake, as opposed to a larger grater. I just bought an old fashioned box grater recently, as I used to only have a single grater. And it's so nice, find the one I have here. You can also find it in my Amazon Shop.
- Like I said above, this cake is so easy to make! You can make it in the stand mixer like I do, for ease. But, you can also make it in a bowl with a wooden spoon, whisk or even a spatula – it comes together that easy!
- Make sure you are using the best cinnamon – as cinnamon is an important ingredient in carrot cake. I have a whole post on cinnamon, read it here. But, I prefer Korintje cinnamon over anything else, find my favorite one here.
- Cream cheese frosting really gives you that cream cheese flavor. So make sure to use the best organic cream cheese, my favorite is Organic Valley.
- Because these are topped with cream cheese frosting, they need to be stored in the fridge. They should also still be in an airtight container as well.
FAQ's
No, do not do this. Using a larger grater may seem like a good idea at first as you can grate the carrots faster. But, it's not ideal for carrot cake recipes because the large pieces of carrot do not cook and incorporate into the batter the same way as the small ones do. This can result in a gummy cake texture that is not uniform and is not tasty. So, take the extra time, use the fine grater.
No, you don't need a stand mixer to make this recipe. You can make the batter with just a bowl and a whisk or you can use a hand mixer. You will need at least a hand mixer to make the frosting because you'll need to whip it up so it's light and fluffy.
Because this recipe has a cream cheese frosting, you have to store these cupcakes in the fridge.
Yes, if you need to bake these a day ahead of your party that's totally okay! Just be sure to store them in the fridge because they are made with cream cheese frosing.
Craving More?
Brown Sugar Carrot Cupcakes
Ingredients
Batter
- 191 grams all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 170 grams carrots (finely grated)
- 113 grams light brown sugar (packed)
- 113 grams cane sugar
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup canola oil
Frosting
- 113 grams salted butter (softened)
- 113 grams cream cheese
- 340 grams powdered sugar (sifted)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a cupcake liner with cupcake liners.
- To make the batter: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, sea salt, and nutmeg. Mix for 2 to 3 rotations, just to combine the dry ingredients.
- Add the carrots, light brown sugar, cane sugar, eggs, and canola oil and mix on low until combined. Scoop into cupcake liners filling almost all the way full.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely in the cupcake pans.
- To make the frosting: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. Mix on low to combine, then speed mixer up to high for 1 minute or until light and fluffy.
- Transfer to a piping bag with Ateco tip #808. Frost cupcakes by piping a large dollop on top.
- Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the fridge.
Notes
Nutrition
The Bake Shop
Visit The Bake Shop for foodie inspired tees, sweatshirts, and accessories. Find my favorite kitchen tools (with discounts!) in the Kitchen Shop. And shop our collection of food inspired dog accessories too!
I love the brown sugar in this carrot cake recipe, it adds so much flavor!