Favorite Carrot Cake Cupcakes Recipe: So Delicious They Were Invited to My Wedding by Jan Mostrom

This is my hands-down, all-time favorite batter for carrot cake or cupcakes. My sister Mary Jo and I worked for a caterer when we were in our teens, and this carrot cake recipe came for our boss’s kitchen. Fast forward a few years and my sister was not only my maid-of-honor, but she also made our wedding cake.

The cake featured five different cakes layered with flowers and this flavor was, and will always be, my favorite. When I visited her a few weeks ago, she was whipping up this recipe into a batch of cupcakes for a friend's birthday, so I thought I’d share this sweet dessert with you.

To make this moist carrot cake recipe, you will need the following ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ground cinnamon, granulated sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, crushed pineapple, fresh carrots to grate, pure vanilla extract, cream cheese, butter and powdered sugar.

Whether it's in cake form or cupcake form, this carrot cake is what to serve for dessert with a cup of coffee, tea or tall glass of milk. Maybe you'll invite this carrot cake to one of your special days or events, too!

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Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 30 minutes plus 1 to 2 hours to cool
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes plus cooling time
Servings: 24

Ingredients

Cake 

• 3 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup crushed pineapple with its own juice (no added sugar)
• 2 cups grated carrots
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Cream Cheese Frosting 

• 16 ounces (2 boxes) cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 1 teaspoons vanilla
• 4 cups powdered sugar

Recipe Notes

• You can easily make the batter in two round cake pans or one 13x9-inch pan. You will need to increase baking time accordingly.

• I show a photo of my sister “stuffing” the cupcakes with frosting. Use a frosting bag and wide tip to poke a hole into the top of the cupcake a squeeze a bit inside. Then frost as usual!
  

• The carrots can easily be shredded using a box grater.
  

• I don’t own a sifter, so I just use a fine mesh strainer to sift the flour.

• If your powdered sugar is older and a bit “lumpy,” just sift it before adding to frosting bowl.

Here's how to make it: 

1. Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon together in a large mixing bowl.
   
2. Add the carrots and mix by hand to blend.
   
3. Add vegetable oil, sugar, eggs, pineapple with juice and vanilla.
   
4. Blend well, scraping down the sides.
   
5. Pour into a muffin tin that's been lined with baking liners.
   
6. Bake in preheated 350-degree F oven for about 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool completely on a rack, about 1 to 2 hours.
   
7. When you are ready to frost the cupcakes, place cream cheese and butter in a mixing bowl and blend on medium speed to make it light and fluffy, about 4 to 5 minutes.
   
8. Add vanilla and mix and then the powdered sugar and blend well.
   
   
9. Frost cupcakes:
   
   
   
10. Add embellishments, if desired, and enjoy!
    
    

Recipe cooking times, nutritional information and servings are approximate and provided for your convenience. However, 30Seconds is not responsible for the outcome of any recipe, nor may you have the same results because of variations in ingredients, temperatures, altitude, errors, omissions or cooking/baking abilities. This recipe has been analyzed by HappyForks. However, any nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and it is up to the individual to ascertain accuracy. To ensure image quality, we may occasionally use stock photography.

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