last updated on October 30, 2026
Welcome to carrot cake week! This week on my Instagram, I’m sharing 4 carrot cake recipes, some old and some new, starting with these carrot cake cupcakes! These cupcakes are moist and fluffy, plus they come together in one bowl. Then they’re topped with a smooth cream cheese frosting to make them the perfect carrot cake cupcake!
ingredients needed for carrot cake cupcakes
CUPCAKES
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup canola oil or vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup greek yogurt
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1/2 tbsp cinnamon
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
- 1/2 cup butter
- 8 oz cream cheese
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
other recipes you will love
- carrot cake cookies
- mini carrot cakes
- carrot cake loaf with brown butter cream cheese frosting
- carrot cake bars
carrot cake cupcakes
[PREP] 25 minutes
[COOK] 20 minutes
[TOTAL] 45 minutes
Ingredients
carrot cake cupcakes
- 3/4 cup (164 g) brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (100 g) canola oil or vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup (113 g) greek yogurt
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 1/2 cups (195 g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tbsp cinnamon
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup (100 g) finely grated carrots
cream cheese frosting
- 1/2 cup (113 g) butter at room temp
- 8 oz (227 g) cream cheese at room temp
- 2 cups (230 g) powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Add the brown sugar, canola oil, greek yogurt, eggs, and vanilla. Whisk until completely combined.
- Add the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir until a few streaks of flour remain.
- Peel and grate the carrots. Transfer the grated carrots to a paper towel and squeeze out the juice — this removes extra, unwanted moisture. Add the carrots to the batter and stir until combined.
- Line a muffin tin with baking cups. Scoop the batter into the baking cups until they're about 3/4 full. Transfer to the oven and bake for 18-20 minutes, until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
- While the muffins cool, make the frosting. Add the butter and cream cheese to a bowl. Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, mix for 3-4 minutes until the mixture is smooth. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla and mix an additional 2-3 minuets until the frosting is smooth.
- Transfer the frosting to a piping bag and pipe a couple tablespoons of frosting on top of each cupcake. Use an offset spatula (or butter knife) to spread the frosting across the top of the cupcake.
- Keep any extra cupcakes in the fridge and enjoy!
I never leave comments, but these are just SO good I have to! Made them tonight for Easter tomorrow. I know they will be a hit! Thank you for sharing!
AH i’m so glad you loved these!!! they’re the perfect easter dessert!
Will this recipe work for 2 6 in cakes?
hi! i think this amount should make closer to 3 6-inch cakes!
Hi I wanted to see – very selective about health and oils and not a fan of canola or vegetable. What are other options that would taste equally good? Didn’t see a notes section
hi! you could use coconut oil or olive oil!
there is no step in the actual instructions that say to add the cinnamon! this made me forget to add it, but they’ll still be yummy. just wanted to point that out so this doesn’t happen to anyone else 🙂
hi! i’m so sorry the cinnamon wasn’t mentioned. i’ve updated the recipe so that shouldn’t be a problem for anyone else. i’m so sorry once again!
Can we substitute flour for GLUTEN FREE bread flour?
yes, that should work just fine! i always recommend using a 1:1 gf flour, i really like king arthur’s, but if you have one you love, go for it!
Hi, I’m planning on making this for an even in a couple of days. Does the frosting stay good if made in advance or does it have to be made at the same time as the cupcakes?
yes, you can make the frosting ahead of time! just keep it in the fridge, then take it out of the fridge a few hours before frosting so it can warm up!