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The Carrot Cake Cupcakes
½ c. Fresh Carrots, Shredded finely
½ c. Raisins
¼ c. Apple Juice
¼ c. Pecans, finely chopped
Cream Cheese Frosting
2 Tbsp. Butter, softened
2 c. Powdered Sugar
½ tsp. Vanilla Extract
¼ c. Pecans, finely chopped (for garnish if desired)
Instructions for Easy, Semi-Homemade Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting and Pecans
Preheat oven and prepare a muffin tin. Preheat oven according to cake mix package directions. Line cupcake tin with paper or foil cupcake liners—or spray tin lightly with non-stick cooking spray.
Hydrate raisins. Place apple juice in a small saucepan with raisins. Bring mixture to a boil. Cover tightly with a lid, remove from heat and allow raisin mixture to sit for 15-20 minutes. Drain raisins and discard non-absorbed apple juice.
Prepare cupcake batter. Mix cake mix according to package directions. Add carrots, raisins, and chopped pecans. Fold in gently until incorporated.
Bake and cool cupcakes. Bake cupcakes according to cake mix directions. Remove cupcakes to a wire cooling rack and allow to cool completely.
Prepare frosting. With a hand mixer, mix cream cheese and butter until fully combined. Add powdered sugar by 1/2 c. increments until frosting ingredients are incorporated. Add vanilla extract and beat an additional 30 seconds.
Frost and garnish carrot cake cupcakes. Frost cupcakes with cream cheese frosting as desired. I used a pastry bag and then roughed up the frosting into peaks with a knife. Sprinkle carrot cake cupcakes with nuts if desired. I used pecans—but, walnuts also work well.
Easy Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting and Pecans
Yield: 18-24
Here is a quick and easy semi-homemade carrot cake cupcake recipe with a simple homemade cream cheese frosting and a few special cake mix add-ins. This is my go-to recipe for potlucks and dessert donations!
Ingredients
- The Carrot Cake Cupcakes
- 1 Pkg. Carrot Cake Mix or Spice Cake Mix, mixed according to package instructions with required amounts of oil, eggs, and water
- ½ c. Fresh Carrots, Shredded finely
- ½ c. Raisins
- ¼ c. Apple Juice
- ¼ c. Pecans, finely chopped
- Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1 (8 oz.) Pkg Cream Cheese, softened
- 2 Tbsp. Butter, softened
- 2 c Powdered Sugar
- ½ tsp. Vanilla Extract
- ¼ c. Pecans, finely chopped (for garnish if desired)
Instructions
- Preheat oven and prepare muffin tin. Preheat oven according to cake mix package directions. Line cupcake tin with paper or foil cupcake liners—or spray tin lightly with non-stick cooking spray.
- Hydrate raisins.Place apple juice in a small saucepan with raisins. Bring mixture to a boil. Cover tightly with a lid, remove from heat and allow raisin mixture to sit for 15-20 minutes. Drain raisins and discard non-absorbed apple juice.
- Prepare cupcake batter. Mix cake mix according to package directions. Add carrots, raisins, and chopped pecans. Fold in gently until incorporated.
- Bake and cool cupcakes. Bake cupcakes according to cake mix directions. Remove cupcakes to a wire cooling rack and allow to cool completely.
- Prepare frosting. With a hand mixer, mix cream cheese and butter until fully combined. Add powdered sugar by 1/2 c. increments until frosting ingredients are incorporated. Add vanilla extract and beat an additional 30 seconds.
- Frost and garnish carrot cake cupcakes. Frost cupcakes with cream cheese frosting as desired. I used a pastry bag and then roughed up the frosting into peaks with a knife. Sprinkle carrot cake cupcakes with nuts if desired. I used pecans—but, walnuts also work well.
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