Carrot Cake Cupcakes

When you have the best recipe for carrot cake it’s only natural to turn it into carrot cake cupcakes!

The best part is you don’t need any vegan cream cheese which also means no refrigeration required!

Simply adding a teaspoon of lactic acid to my buttercream recipe makes a cream cheese icing better than any one I have ever tried!

This recipe for carrot cake is so versatile you can bake the batter into just about any pan you like!

CLICK HERE FOR THE YOUTUBE VIDEO TUTORIAL FOR HOW TO MIX THE CARROT CAKE BATTER

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Notes for Success:

This recipe also bakes perfectly into loaves and bundts and of course cake layers and sheet cakes too

Make it Gluten Free!

Bob’s Red Mill all purpose 1:1 blend works great here! *not sponsored
Although I would reduce the amount of flax meal and water amount by half
As well as baking for an additional 10 to 20 minutes longer than the recipe specifies *this time is dependent upon the size of the pans you are using

If you watch the video tutorial you will see the original recipe for vegan cream cheese icing

However I’ve updated the recipe below to a better more user friendly recipe

Since vegan cream cheese it is an extremely finicky ingredient to work with not to mention for some of us, it is really hard to find!

I love this new recipe for 2-2-2 Cream Cheese Icing since it requires no cream cheese and no refrigeration

I use vegan lactic acid for the signature tang that we all know and love when it comes to cream cheese icing
But if you cannot get Lactic Acid or you don’t want to buy it, apple Cider Vinegar works well too

Flax is my choice for egg replacer here but you can use any other egg replacer you like equivalent to 2 eggs
If your egg replacer requires reconstituting, use some of the liquid from the recipe do not add more.

Also if you are not a fan of the tropical version you can leave out the pineapple and coconut and use walnuts and raisins instead

Continue to Content

Yield: 18 cupcakes

Carrot Cake Cupcakes

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Prep Time 2 hours

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 2 hours 25 minutes

Ingredients

For the Carrot Cake Cupcakes:

• Vegetable Oil ¾ cup (177ml)
• All Purpose Flour 1 cup + 10 tablespoons (205g)
• Baking Powder 1 teaspoon (4g)
• Baking Soda 1 teaspoon (4g)
• Salt ¼ teaspoon
• Ground Cinnamon 1¾ teaspoons
• Light Brown Sugar ½ cup (105g)
• Granulated Sugar ½ cup (100g)
• Ground Flax Seeds 3 Tablespoons (24g) *see notes
• Hot Water 6 Tablespoons (90ml)
• Vanilla Extract 1½ teaspoons (7ml)
• Carrots 4 medium (approx 2 cups 250g)
• Crushed canned pineapple drained extremely well ¾ cup *see notes
• Toasted Coconut ½ cup *optional see notes
• Orange Zest & Juice from ¼ large orange approx 1 Tablespoon juice & 1 teaspoon zest

For the 2-2-2 Cream Cheese Icing:

• ½ Recipe Buttercream
• Vegan Lactic Acid 1½ teaspoons *see notes

Instructions

1. Line your cupcake pan(s) with paper liners
2. Preheat your oven to 350°F
3. Combine the flax meal with the hot water and let stand to thicken for about 5 minutes
4. In a large bowl combine both sugars with the oil, vanilla extract, orange zest & juice and the salt, whisk vigorously to incorporate well
5. Sift together all of the dry ingredients directly into the sugar mixture in the bowl and whisk smooth
6. Add the grated carrots and drained pineapple and the toasted coconut then mix smooth
7. Portion batter into the cupcake pans filling about 3/4 of the way full and bake immediately at 350°F in a preheated oven for approximately 25 minutes or when they are springy to the touch when you gently press the centers.
8. Toothpick test is also a good indicator of done-ness
9. Cakes are done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs not raw batter.
10. Cool the cupcakes in the pans until they are cool to the touch, then flip them out onto a cooling rack to cool completely
11. Prepare the cream cheese icing according to the instructions on that recipe post and add the vegan lactic acid powder at the last stage of mixing

Notes

Carrot cake cupcakes with the 2-2-2 cream cheese icing do not have to be refrigerated.
They will stay fresh for about 3 days wrapped loosely at room temperature
For longer storage refrigerate for up to 1 week
Freeze cupcakes wrapped well for up to 1 month