Ingredients (~18 cupcakes)
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup canola oil
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup sour cream, room temperature
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 1/2 Tbsp unsulfured molasses
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- ~2 1/4 cups freshly grated carrots, lightly packed
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 12 oz cream cheese, cold
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Make the Batter and Preheat Oven
To begin, preheat your oven to 350F and line 18 muffin cups with paper liners.
Next, whisk together your dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt) in a medium bowl; set the bowl aside.
Next, in a large bowl, using a whisk, mix together the sugar, oil, sour cream, eggs, molasses, and vanilla until smooth.
Finally, stir in the shredded carrot.
There will seem to be a lot of shredded carrot, but don’t worry, it will shrink while baking.
(This part may take a little muscle!)
Combine the Dry and Wet Ingredients and Mix!
Now that you have combined both sets of ingredients, it’s time to combine them together!
You want to add the dry ingredient mixture into the wet mixture.
I begin folding everything together by hand.
It’s very important not to over-mix the batter.
Over-mixing will create tough cupcakes.
Bake the Cupcakes
Fill each muffin cup approximately 3/4 full with batter (approximately 1/4 cup of batter in each cupcake).
Bake in your preheated oven for approximately 16-20 minutes.
If using a toothpick, when inserted in the center of the cupcake, it should come out with only a few moist crumbs.
You should know the cupcakes are done by the way they spring back lightly when touched while still in the muffin pan.
Allow the cupcakes to cool for about 5 minutes; then carefully remove them from the muffin pan onto cooling racks to cool completely before frosting.
Prepare the Cream Cheese Frosting
If using a stand mixer fitted with paddle, or hand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter together using medium-high speed until smooth and creamy.
When you use cold cream cheese, the frosting remains stable for a longer period of time (and will not turn into soup!).
The next step is adding the confectioners’ sugar and vanilla and mixing until well combined, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary.
Once finished, the frosting will hold its shape when piped and/or spread onto each cupcake.
Carrot Cake Cupcakes
Ingredients
Ingredients (~18 cupcakes)
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup canola oil
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup sour cream room temperature
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 1 1/2 Tbsp unsulfured molasses
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- ~2 1/4 cups freshly grated carrots lightly packed
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 12 oz cream cheese cold
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
- 3 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F and line 18 muffin cups with paper liners.
- Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt in a medium bowl.
- In a large bowl, whisk sugar, oil, sour cream, eggs, molasses, and vanilla until smooth.
- Stir in grated carrots.
- Fold in flour mixture until just combined.
- Fill muffin cups 3/4 full with batter.
- Bake 16-20 minutes until toothpick comes out with moist crumbs.
- Cool in pan 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
- Beat cold cream cheese and softened butter until smooth and creamy.
- Add confectioners’ sugar and vanilla, mix until combined.
- Frost cooled cupcakes.
