Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 20 min
Servings: 18
Yield: 18 servings

Description

These moist carrot cake cupcakes taste just like the cake! Top with a luscious homemade cream cheese frosting for a deliciously easy dessert.

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar
3/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups freshly grated carrots
1 cup chopped pecans
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 cups confectioners' sugar, or to taste

Directions

1 Gather the ingredients. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line 18 muffin cups with paper liners.
2 Sift flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, allspice, salt, nutmeg, and cloves together in a large mixing bowl.
3 Mix brown sugar, sour cream, white sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla together until smooth; add to flour mixture and stir until just combined. Stir in carrots, then fold in pecans. Divide batter evenly between the prepared muffin cups, filling 2/3 full.
4 Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 17 to 20 minutes. Cool in the tin for 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely, about 20 minutes.
5 To make the frosting: Beat cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and lemon juice in a mixing bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Add confectioners' sugar, a bit a time, until smooth and desired sweetness is achieved.
6 Spread onto cooled cupcakes.