Brown Sugar Carrot Cupcakes With Cream Cheese Frosting

This recipe for Brown Sugar Carrot Cupcakes With Cream Cheese Frosting are the perfect fall cupcake! Moist and fluffy carrot cupcakes have a rich caramel undertone from the brown sugar that pairs perfectly with tangy cream cheese frosting.

If you love carrot cake as much as I do, check out Vegan Strawberry Carrot Cake, Eggless Chocolate Carrot Cake, Sourdough Carrot Snack Cake, Orange Ginger Carrot Cake, or Best Carrot Cake Recipes.

A Quick Look At The Recipe

• Recipe Name: Brown Sugar Carrot Cupcakes With Cream Cheese Frosting
• Ready In: 1 hour 35 minutes
• Makes: 12 cupcakes
• Main Ingredients: carrots, salted butter, light brown sugar, powdered sugar
• Flavor Profile: cozy carrot cupcakes with creamy brown sugar frosting
• Dietary Info: gluten free swap available
• Difficulty: Easy!
• Why You’ll Love It: a classic favorite into something extra comforting and cozy

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• Elevated Classic: This recipe for Brown Sugar Carrot Cupcakes With Cream Cheese Frosting 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!

Carrot cake was the very first cake recipe I developed on my own. I made it for my husband's birthday the first year we were dating, and friends requested it for every birthday after! That recipe was served in my bakery for over a decade, and it's in my book The Mountain Baker.

This carrot cake is very similar, but it's even richer with the addition of brown sugar. Delaney and I have become obsessed with these carrot cupcakes! While carrot cake can be enjoyed year round, I feel this recipe is fall inspired with the addition of the brown sugar and ginger. They just have a cozy vibe, kinda like Snickerdoodle Biscotti, Chewy Rye Chocolate Chip Cookies, Small Batch Maple Brown Sugar Cookies, and Sourdough Apple Pie, which are all wonderful fall desserts!

These are also a great recipe for Easter along with Chocolate Peanut Butter Eggs With Bone Broth, Dark Chocolate Coconut Almond Butter Eggs, Easter Banana Blondies, Easter Egg Thumbprint Cookies, or Organic Easter Bunny Cake.

Ingredients

• All Purpose Flour: I use organic all purpose flour instead of cake flour because these carrot cupcakes are incredibly moist with the grated carrots already, so all purpose flour gives them 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.
• 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.
• 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 that is not ideal.
• Light Brown Sugar: I use my homemade light brown sugar, but store bought is also fine. This creates more moist carrot cupcakes.
• 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.

*For a full list of ingredients and measurements, visit the recipe card below.

Baker's Tips for Brown Sugar Carrot Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

• Always weigh your ingredients for the best results.
• Use a fine grater for grating the carrots. This will help give the best texture in your carrot cake.
• You can make the carrot cake batter in a mixing bowl, with a hand mixer or in a stand mixer. It's a super flexible recipe and comes together easily.
• Make sure you are using the best cinnamon – as cinnamon is an important ingredient in carrot cake.
• You do not need to frost these with a piping bag, you can also just use a spatula or butter knife.
• 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.
• Gluten Free — Replace the all purpose flour with 191 grams (scant 1 ¼ cups) gluten free flour blend.

How to Make Brown Sugar Carrot Cupcakes With Cream Cheese Frosting

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a cupcake liner with cupcake liners. To make the batter: Grate the carrots using a fine grater and add into a large mixing bowl.

2. Add the canola oil, light brown sugar, cane sugar, and eggs.

3. Mix on low until combined.

4. Add in the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

5. Step 5: Remove and add to serving plate

6. Scoop cupcake batter into the cupcake pan, fill them three-quarters full.

7. Bake for 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely in the cupcake pans.

8. 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.

9. Mix on low to combine, then speed mixer up to high for 2 to 3 minutes or until light and fluffy. Make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl part way through mixing to ensure you have a smooth frosting.

10. Transfer to a piping bag with Ateco tip #808. Frost cupcakes by piping a large dollop on top.

Recipe FAQ's

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