Food & Cooking Recipes Dessert & Treats Recipes Cupcake Recipes Carrot Cake Cupcakes With Cream Cheese Frosting 3.3 (164) 6 Reviews They're just as delicious as a tall, layered carrot cake, but so much quicker and easier to make. By Martha Stewart Martha Stewart Martha Stewart is a bestselling author, entrepreneur, and lifestyle expert who has taught millions of people through generations the joy of entertaining, cooking, gardening, collecting, crafting, and home renovating via her eponymous magazine, Martha Stewart Living, Emmy-winning television shows, and 99 books (and counting). Based in Katonah, N.Y., where she helms her 156-acre Bedford Farm, Martha is America's first self-made female billionaire. Editorial Guidelines Updated on March 22, 2024 Rate PRINT Share Yield: 24 Our carrot cake cupcakes have everything you love about the dessert but in mini form. They are moist, sweet, lightly spiced, studded with golden raisins, and finished with the classic cream cheese frosting. And making them is quicker and easier than making a large layer cake—and much easier to transport. No mixer needed, just get out two bowls to make the batter for these nostalgic treats. The next time you want to serve carrot cake for a birthday or holiday celebration or need treats for a potluck or bake sale, turn to these cupcakes. Yossy Arefi 11 Spring Cupcakes That Celebrate the Season Ingredients 1 pound medium carrots, peeled and finely grated 3 large eggs, room temperature 2 cups sugar 1 ½ cups vegetable oil ⅓ cup buttermilk 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped, pod reserved for another use (or 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract) ½ cup golden raisins (optional) 1 cup walnuts or pecans, toasted and finely chopped (optional) 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground ginger ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves Cream Cheese Frosting Sweetened shredded coconut, toasted, for decorating Directions Preheat oven and prep muffin pan: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line 2 standard muffin tins with paper liners. Combine wet ingredients: In a bowl, whisk together carrots, eggs, sugar, oil, buttermilk, vanilla seeds, and raisins and nuts if desired. Mix dry ingredients: In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. Add dry ingredients to wet: Stir flour mixture into carrot mixture until well combined. Divide batter between muffin cups and bake: Divide batter among muffin cups, filling each 3/4 full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until testers inserted into centers come out clean, 23 to 28 minutes. Cool: Let cool in tins on wire racks, 10 minutes. Turn out cupcakes onto wire racks, and let cool completely. Frost cupcakes: Frost cupcakes with cream cheese frosting. Sprinkle with toasted coconut (press gently to adhere) before serving. Storing Carrot Cake Cupcakes Unfrosted Cupcakes Unfrosted cupcakes can be stored overnight at room temperature, or frozen for up to 2 months in airtight containers. Frosted Cupcakes Frosted cupcakes can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. Do not add toasted coconut or other toppings before refrigerating. Bring to room temperature before serving. Variations Golden raisins give these cupcakes added texture, but you can omit them if desired. You can also add nuts; toast them as directed, and then finely chop them before stirring into batter. As an alternative to toasted coconut, use strips of candied lemon or orange peel to decorate the cupcakes. How to Toast Coconut Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.Spread coconut evenly on rimmed baking sheets; toast, stirring occasionally, until starting to brown, about 10 minutes (or longer if darker color is desired).Transfer sheet to a wire rack; let coconut cool completely. How to Toast Nuts Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread nuts evenly on a rimmed baking sheet; toast, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, 8 to 10 minutes (watch carefully to prevent burning). Transfer sheet to a wire rack; let nuts cool completely. Originally appeared: Martha Stewart Living, April 2009 Rate It PRINT Updated by Victoria Spencer Victoria Spencer Victoria Spencer is an experienced food editor, writer, and recipe developer. She manages the Martha Stewart recipe archive and is always curious about new ingredients and the best techniques. She has been working in food media for over 20 years.