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Carrot cake cupcake with a chocolate covered strawberry on top

Carrot Cake Cupcakes

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  • Author: Vera Zecevic
  • Prep Time: 30 min
  • Cook Time: 15 min
  • Total Time: 45 min
  • Yield: 12-14 cupcakes 1x
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: American

Description

Carrot Cake Cupcakes – the absolute best Easter dessert. Easy to make and super moist, these carrot cupcakes are garnished with cute chocolate covered strawberries! Don’t forget about the sweet and tangy cream cheese frosting with shredded coconut!

Ingredients

For Carrot Cake:

  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 3/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 eggs- beaten
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/2 cup apple sauce (or equal amount of grated apple or well-drained crushed pineapple)
  • 1 cup finely shredded carrots
  • 1/2 cup pecans – chopped (or walnuts)

Frosting:

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter- softened
  • 8 oz. cream cheese- softened
  • 1 and 3/4 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt

For garnish:

  • 1/2 cup shredded sweetened coconut
  • 12–14 strawberries
  • 2/3 package Wilton’s Orange Candy Melts

Instructions

To make the Carrot Chocolate Covered Strawberries:

  1. Melt the candy melts according to the package directions and dip each of the strawberries into the melted candy and place on a sheet of parchment paper to cool and harden. Transfer leftovers of melted coating in a small bag and snipped the corner off then drizzle stripes across the strawberries and let cool and harden.

To make the cake:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 F, line cupcake pan with paper liners and set aside.
  2. In a large bowl stir together dry ingredients: flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
  3. Add oil, eggs, apple sauce and vanilla. Mix well.
  4. Stir in carrots and chopped pecans until combined.
  5. Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full and bake for 15-16 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean and be careful not to overbake them, they should be very moist not dry!!! Let the cupcakes cool completely .

Frosting:

  1. With an electric mixer cream together butter, sugar, vanilla, and salt until light and fluffy.
  2. Add cream cheese 2 ounces at a time and beat as needed.

To assemble the cupcakes:

  1. Pipe frosting onto cooled cupcakes and sprinkle with shredded coconut. Store in the fridge.
  2. Place the carrot chocolate covered strawberry onto each cupcake before serving.

Notes

Carrot Chocolate Covered Strawberries adapted from Something Swanky.

Carrot Cake Cupcakes recipe adapted from Garnish and Glaze.