Carrot Cake Cupcakes (Print Version)

# Ingredients:

→ Cupcakes

01 - 1 and 1/3 cups (166g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
02 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
03 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
05 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
06 - 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
07 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
08 - 1/2 cup (120ml) vegetable oil
09 - 1 cup (200g) packed light or dark brown sugar
10 - 2 large eggs, at room temperature
11 - 1/3 cup (80g) unsweetened applesauce, at room temperature
12 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
13 - 1 and 1/2 cups (200g) peeled, shredded, and coarsely chopped carrots (about 3 large carrots)
14 - 3/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

→ Cream Cheese Frosting

15 - 8 ounces (224g) full-fat block cream cheese, softened to room temperature
16 - 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
17 - 3 cups (360g) confectioners' sugar
18 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
19 - 1/8 teaspoon salt

→ Optional Garnish

20 - White chocolate carrot toppers (see notes for instructions)
21 - Finely chopped walnuts or pecans

# Instructions:

01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners.
02 - Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg together in a large bowl. Set aside.
03 - Whisk the oil, brown sugar, eggs, applesauce, and vanilla extract together until combined, and then whisk in the carrots.
04 - Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and fold or whisk together until completely combined. Batter will be slightly thick.
05 - Pour/spoon the batter into the liners, filling only about 3/4 full to avoid spilling over the sides.
06 - Bake for 21–23 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.
07 - In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter together on high speed until smooth and creamy. Add confectioners' sugar, vanilla extract, and salt. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds and then switch to high speed and beat for 2 minutes.
08 - Cover and refrigerate the frosting as the cupcakes finish cooling—this is helpful if you plan to pipe the frosting with a piping bag + tip. Cold cream cheese frosting holds its shape better.
09 - Frost cooled cupcakes and top with optional garnish, if desired. Cover and store leftover cupcakes in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

# Notes:

01 - These carrot cake cupcakes are a scaled down version of a popular carrot cake recipe. You can mix this easy cupcake batter by hand, though using a mixer is recommended for the cream cheese frosting.
02 - Don't use pre-shredded carrots found in the produce aisle because they're quite dry. Freshly shred large carrots for best results.
03 - For the applesauce, you can substitute with sour cream, plain yogurt, or even crushed pineapple (no need to drain).
04 - For mini cupcakes, bake for about 12–13 minutes at the same oven temperature. This will yield around 30 mini cupcakes.
05 - Frosted or unfrosted cupcakes can be frozen up to 2–3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.

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