If you love classic carrot cake, you’re going to want to try these carrot walnut cupcakes. They’re soft, tender, and packed with finely grated carrots, warm cinnamon, and chopped walnuts. Then they’re topped with a creamy maple cream cheese frosting that makes them extra delicious.
These cupcakes have all the cozy flavors of carrot cake but in an easy, individual-sized treat. The carrots keep the cupcakes moist, while the walnuts add a little crunch to every bite. And that maple frosting? It’s the perfect finishing touch.
If you think these sound good, you’ll love our carrot cake with pineapple and coconut.
Jump to:
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Classic carrot cake flavor: Cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves give these cupcakes that familiar cozy flavor.
- Soft and moist: Finely grated carrots and Greek yogurt help create tender cupcakes.
- Lots of carrots: With 2 ½ cups of grated carrots, you get plenty of fresh carrot flavor in every bite.
- Crunchy walnuts: Chopped walnuts add just the right amount of texture.
- Creamy maple frosting: The tangy cream cheese frosting gets a delicious maple twist.
- Easy to make: The batter comes together quickly with simple ingredients.
- Perfect for sharing: Individual cupcakes make serving a breeze at parties and gatherings.
- Great year-round: While they’re especially nice for spring and Easter, carrot cake is always a good idea.
Key Ingredients
See the recipe card at the end of the post for a full list of ingredients and their exact amounts.
- Carrots: Add natural sweetness, moisture, and that classic carrot cake flavor.
- Cinnamon, nutmeg & ground cloves: Bring the warm, cozy spice flavor that makes these cupcakes taste like classic carrot cake.
- Vegetable oil: Keeps the cupcakes soft, moist, and tender without making them feel too heavy.
- Greek yogurt: Adds extra moisture and richness while helping give the cupcakes a soft, tender texture.
- Walnuts: Add a delicious nutty flavor and a little crunch that pairs perfectly with the soft cupcakes.
- Cream cheese & butter: Create the rich, smooth base for the frosting and give it that classic cream cheese frosting flavor.
- Maple extract: Adds a sweet, cozy maple flavor that makes the frosting extra special.
- Powdered sugar: Sweetens the frosting and gives it that smooth, creamy, spreadable consistency.
Variations
- Use pecans: Swap the walnuts for chopped pecans if you prefer them.
- Add raisins: Fold raisins into the batter for a classic carrot cake addition.
- Add coconut: Shredded coconut would be delicious mixed into the cupcake batter.
- Add more spices: If you love a heavily spiced carrot cake, add a little extra cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice.
- Skip the nuts: Leave out the walnuts if you prefer a nut-free cupcake.
- Skip the maple: Leave out the maple and make delicious carrot cake cupcakes with cream cheese frosting.
- Add a little orange: A bit of orange zest would add a bright citrus flavor that pairs nicely with carrot.
- Mini cupcakes: Use mini cupcake tins for bite-size carrot cake cupcakes.
- Decorate with walnuts: Sprinkle finely chopped walnuts over the maple frosting for a pretty finishing touch.
- Add a sprinkle of cinnamon: A light dusting of cinnamon on top makes these cupcakes look extra inviting.
How to Make Carrot Walnut Cupcakes
Step 1: Whisk the dry ingredients in a medium bowl and set aside.
Step 2: Beat the oil and sugars in a large bowl. Then, beat in the eggs and vanilla, followed by the yogurt and carrots.
Step 3: Mix the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined. Fold in the chopped walnuts.
Step 4: Fill prepared cupcake tin wells ¾ full and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool completely.
Step 5: Beat the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Then, beat in the maple extract, followed by the powdered sugar, until smooth and creamy.
Step 6: Pipe the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes and enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Grate the carrots finely: Finely grated carrots blend into the batter better and help create soft, moist cupcakes.
- Don’t skip peeling the carrots: Freshly peeled carrots give you the best texture and flavor.
- Don’t overmix the batter: Once you add the dry ingredients, fold just until everything is incorporated. Overmixing can make the cupcakes dense.
- Use softened cream cheese and butter: This is the easiest way to get smooth, creamy frosting without lumps.
- Don’t overfill the liners: Filling them about ¾ full gives the cupcakes enough room to rise without overflowing.
- Let the cupcakes cool completely: Cream cheese frosting doesn’t belong on warm cupcakes. Let them cool completely first.
- Check with a toothpick: Start checking around the 20-minute mark. When a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, they’re ready.
- Chop the walnuts fairly small: Smaller walnut pieces distribute nicely throughout the batter and make each bite easier to enjoy.
- Add the frosting after cooling: For the prettiest piped frosting, make sure the cupcakes are completely cool.
Carrot Walnut Cupcakes FAQs
Finely grated carrots and whole milk Greek yogurt help keep these carrot walnut cupcakes soft and tender. Vegetable oil also contributes moisture without adding a strong flavor, while the brown sugar adds richness.
Peel the carrots first, then grate them finely using a box grater or similar fine grating surface. Smaller shreds distribute more evenly throughout the batter and help create tender cupcakes.
Avoid overmixing once the dry ingredients are added. Fold the flour mixture into the wet ingredients just until combined, since excessive mixing can result in dense cupcakes.
Cinnamon, nutmeg, and ground cloves create the classic warm spice flavor in these cupcakes. If you prefer a more intensely spiced carrot cake, you can increase the cinnamon or add a little pumpkin pie spice.
Raisins and shredded coconut are classic additions that work well with carrot cake flavors. You can also add orange zest or adjust the spices if you want to change the flavor without making major changes to the batter.
Use softened cream cheese and softened butter before mixing. Beat them until light and fluffy, then add the maple extract, powdered sugar, and salt and continue mixing until the frosting is smooth.
Store frosted cupcakes covered in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Keeping them covered helps prevent the cupcakes from drying out and also keeps them from absorbing refrigerator odors.
Yes, you can. Wrap unfrosted cupcakes tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 2 months in an airtight, freezer-safe container.
Carrot Walnut Cupcakes are Great With
If you try this recipe and love it, please be sure to leave a 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below and comment! You can also pin it to save it for later. Also, you can follow us on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. Remember to “like” or “follow” us on all social media.
Carrot Walnut Cupcakes with Maple Frosting
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 2 ½ cups carrots, peeled, finely grated
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- ¾ cup light brown sugar, packed
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¾ cup whole milk plain Greek yogurt
- 1 cup walnuts, chopped
Maple Frosting
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon maple extract
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 3 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line a cupcake tin with liners.
Cupcakes
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugars and oil. Mix until fully incorporated.
- Now, add in the eggs and vanilla extract. Whisk until combined.
- Add in the Greek yogurt and grated carrots. Mix until fully combined.
- Pour dry ingredients into wet ingredients and fold until fully incorporated.
- Fold in the walnuts.
- Evenly pour batter into cupcake liners, ¾ full.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 20-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and let cool completely before frosting.
Maple Frosting
- In a medium sized mixing bowl, beat together the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy.
- Add maple extract and beat until combined.
- Next, add in the powdered sugar and salt.
- Beat until combined and smooth.
- Once cupcakes have fully cooled, pipe the maple frosting on each cupcake and sprinkle with cinnamon, if desired.
Notes
- Grate the carrots finely: Finely grated carrots blend into the batter better and help create soft, moist cupcakes.
- Don’t skip peeling the carrots: Freshly peeled carrots give you the best texture and flavor.
- Don’t overmix the batter: Once you add the dry ingredients, fold just until everything is incorporated. Overmixing can make the cupcakes dense.
- Use softened cream cheese and butter: This is the easiest way to get smooth, creamy frosting without lumps.
- Don’t overfill the liners: Filling them about ¾ full gives the cupcakes enough room to rise without overflowing.
- Let the cupcakes cool completely: Cream cheese frosting doesn’t belong on warm cupcakes. Let them cool completely first.
- Check with a toothpick: Start checking around the 20-minute mark. When a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, they’re ready.
- Chop the walnuts fairly small: Smaller walnut pieces distribute nicely throughout the batter and make each bite easier to enjoy.
- Add the frosting after cooling: For the prettiest piped frosting, make sure the cupcakes are completely cool.
Leave a Reply