Folks, these are not your mother’s carrot cake cupcakes (and if they are, your mother and I should hang out). I promised “loaded,” and these babies deliver. I set out to make a healthier carrot cake cupcake (similar to this Healthy Carrot Cake and my favorite EVER Kitchen Sink Carrot Cake in my cookbook), so I knew I’d need plenty of shredded carrots for moisture and natural sweetness. Carrots alone, however, were not enough for the tender, flavor-packed cupcake of my dreams. These beauties needed (and deserved) more!
How to Make Carrot Cake Cupcakes
More is definitely what you get with these carrot cake cupcakes. They’re moist, tender, and multi-dimensional thanks to a round up great-tasting ingredients that are great for you too!
The Ingredients
Flour. I use a blend of all-purpose and whole wheat flour in this recipe. I love the slightly nutty flavor the wholesome whole wheat flour lends the cupcakes.
Carrots. Shocking, I know. This recipe has not one, not two, but THREE cups of shredded carrots which lend plenty of moisture and natural sweetness to the recipe.Crushed Pineapple. A winner for extra moisture, natural sweetness, and all around deliciousness.
Shredded Coconut. For a nuanced note that makes it nearly impossible to stop at just one.Walnuts and Cinnamon. This is a carrot cake cupcake after all. These two add that soulful, earthy flavor and spice that is essential in any good carrot cake cupcake (or Carrot Cake Muffin) recipe. Buttermilk. Buttermilk helps to tenderize baked goods. If you’ve never baked with buttermilk before you’re missing out!
Brown Sugar. Gives the cupcakes extra depth and tasty molasses flavor.
Eggs. This recipe uses a combination of whole eggs and egg whites. The whole eggs add essential fat for richness, while the egg whites keep the cupcakes light and fluffy.Canola Oil. While butter can add great flavor to cake recipes, with everything going on in these cupcakes, oil is a better choice for their tender texture and to let the other ingredients shine.Cream Cheese Frosting. Bring these baked beauties to carrot cake perfection. This is my absolute FAVORITE tangy cream cheese frosting. It’s creamy, dreamy and down-right delicious.
The Directions
Storage Tips
To Store. Cover frosted cupcakes in an air-tight container and keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.To Freeze. Unfrosted cupcakes may be kept in the freezer for up to 2 months. Prior to freezing, wrap each individual cupcake tightly with plastic wrap.To Thaw. Transfer frozen, wrapped cupcakes to the refrigerator to defrost overnight. Decorate, as desired.
Recommended Tools to Make this Recipe
Stand Mixer. If you love to bake, this will make your life so much easier.Mixing Bowls. I reach for this glass nesting mixing bowl set almost daily.
Though these carrot cake cupcakes include some less-traditional ingredients, they stay true to everything you crave about carrot cake: natural carrot sweetness, warm spice, and outrageous melt-in-your-mouth moisture.
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