Carrot Cake Cupcakes
Moist spiced carrot cake + cream cheese frosting = the perfect cupcake!
Ingredients
For the carrot cake cupcakes:
- 1/2 pound carrots peeled and finely grated
- 3 eggs room temp
- 1/3 cup buttermilk
- 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
For the cream cheese frosting:
- 1 cup unsalted butter 2 sticks; room temp
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened/room temp
- 4 cups powdered sugar sifted
- 3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Line 18 regular-size muffin tins with cupcake paper liners.
- In a large bowl, mix together the carrot, eggs, sugar, vegetable oil, buttermilk, and vanilla.
- In another bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt.
- Mix the flour mixture in with the carrot mixture until well mixed.
- Pour batter into lined cups. Martha recommends filling the cup about 2/3 cup full. I like to live dangerously and go for a little over 3/4 full – usually a 1/3 cup measuring cup gets me close.
- Bake for 23 to 28 minutes. They’re done when the top springs back when you tap it, or a when a cupcake tester or toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool on wire racks for about 10 minutes, then pull the cupcakes out of the tins and let them cool on the racks completely before frosting.
- Make the frosting. On medium speed, beat together the butter and cream cheese until fluffy.
- Reduce speed to low and add the powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time. I really advise against more than that, because you may find yourself disappearing in a powdered sugar cloud. Not that I’d know, not at all.
- And finally mix in the vanilla.
- And, frost your cupcakes! I topped mine with a little Demerara sugar for a little extra sparkle.