Loaded Carrot Cake Cupcakes
These loaded carrot cake cupcakes are packed with delicious flavors and textures. The cupcakes are made with carrots, crushed pineapple, coconut, raisins, and pecans and frosted with a sweet, nutty brown butter cream cheese frosting for the perfect carrot dessert.
Ingredients for Loaded Carrot Cake Cupcakes
Loaded Carrot Cake Cupcakes
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Ground cinnamon + ground nutmeg – This combination of warm spices gives the cupcakes a classic carrot cake flavor.
- Granulated sugar
- Vegetable oil – You could substitute canola oil or your favorite neutral baking oil.
- Egg – Large egg, room temperature.
- Vanilla extract – Pure vanilla extract.
- Carrots – Finely grated or shredded carrots. I recommend using a food processor.
- Crushed pineapple – Undrained for additional flavor and moisture.
- Milk – Room temperature.
- Coconut – Shredded sweetened coconut.
- Raisins – Purple or golden raisins.
- Pecans – Chopped. You could also use walnuts or omit the nuts, if preferred.
Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
- Unsalted butter – To make brown butter. The brown butter should be solid, but room temperature. Check out this tutorial on how to make brown butter for more information.
- Cream cheese – Room temperature.
- Powdered sugar – Confectioners’ sugar/icing sugar.
- Vanilla extract – Pure vanilla extract.
- Salt – A pinch of salt provides some contrast to the sweetness of the frosting.
Additional Ingredients
- Coconut – Toasted shredded sweetened coconut.
- Pecans – Chopped. As above, you could substitute with walnuts.
How to Make Loaded Carrot Cake Cupcakes
- Prep and preheat: Preheat the oven to 350℉ (177℃). Line a cupcake pans with 14 cupcake liners.
- Make the cupcake batter: Whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Set aside. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, vegetable oil, egg, and vanilla extract until smooth. Add in the finely grated carrots, crushed pineapple, and milk and mix well. Whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until combined and then fold in the coconut, raisins, and pecans.
- Bake the cupcakes: Portion the carrot cake batter into the cupcake liners using a large cookie scoop (about 3/4 full). Bake the cupcakes for 20 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Make the brown butter: Check out this tutorial on how to make brown butter. Chill the brown butter in the refrigerator until solid and then bring to room temperature to soften before making the frosting.
- Make the brown butter cream cheese frosting: Whip the brown butter and cream cheese for 5 minutes until light and creamy. Add in the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and salt and mix until combined. Turn the mixer to medium and whip the frosting for 2 to 3 minutes until smooth and creamy.
- Assemble the cupcakes: Fill a piping bag fitted with a Wilton 2D piping tip with the brown butter cream cheese frosting. Pipe a generous swirl of frosting onto the cupcakes and then decorate the cupcakes with toasted coconut and chopped pecans.
Recipe Tips
- Check out my baking tips posts on 10 Tips for Baking Perfect Cupcakes and 10 Tips for Making Perfect Buttercream to learn simple tips and tricks to make the most out of this recipe.
- If you want to learn more about my favorite cupcake baking and decorating supplies, be sure to check out this post for more information.
- Learn how to frost cupcakes and my favorite piping tips for frosting cupcakes.
- Be sure that the carrots are very finely grated. I recommend using a food processor, but if you don’t have one, you can use a box grater with the smallest grate size.
- You can make the brown butter a day or two ahead of time and store it in an airtight container in the fridge. Just bring it to room temperature before you start to make the frosting. Check out my tutorial on how to make brown butter to learn more.
Frequently Asked Questions
How should I store the cupcakes?
- Store the cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. Serve the cupcakes at room temperature for the best taste and texture.
Can I use regular cream cheese frosting on the cupcakes?
- Yes! Check out my recipe for the best cream cheese frosting here. For this recipe, you will need about half of the recipe.
Can I turn this recipe into a cake?
- This recipe is specifically formulated for cupcakes, but I encourage you to check out my carrot cake or loaded carrot cake recipes.
What is brown butter?
- Brown butter is butter that has been cooked to the point that the milk solids toast and create little browned bits that have a nutty, caramelized taste. The butter will take on a deep golden brown color and you will see small brown flecks of nutty goodness in the buttercream.
Other Recipes You Will Love
click the stars to rate!
Loaded Carrot Cake Cupcakes
Yield: 14 cupcakes
These loaded carrot cake cupcakes are packed with delicious flavors and textures. The cupcakes are made with carrots, crushed pineapple, coconut, raisins, and pecans and frosted with a sweet, nutty brown butter cream cheese frosting for the perfect carrot dessert.
Equipment
Ingredients
Loaded Carrot Cake Cupcakes
- 1 ¼ cups (156 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ tsp (1.5 tsp) baking powder
- ½ tsp (0.5 tsp) salt
- 1 ½ tsp (1 tsp) ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp (0.25 tsp) ground nutmeg
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (120 ml) vegetable oil
- 1 (1) large egg room temperature
- 2 tsp (2 tsp) vanilla extract
- 1 cup (128 g) finely grated carrots
- ½ cup (120 g) crushed pineapple undrained
- ¼ cup (60 ml) milk room temperature
- ¼ cup (25 g) shredded sweetened coconut
- ¼ cup (35 g) raisins
- ¼ cup (30 g) chopped pecans
Brown Butter Buttercream Frosting
- 18 tbsp (252 g) unsalted butter 1 cup + 2 tbsp unsalted butter to make brown butter
- 4 oz (113 g) cream cheese room temperature
- 3 ½ cups (420 g) powdered sugar
- 2 tsp (2 tsp) vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp (0.25 tsp) salt
Additional Ingredients
- ¼ cup (23 g) sweetened shredded coconut toasted
- ¼ cup (27 g) chopped pecans
Instructions
Loaded Carrot Cake Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350℉ (177℃). Line cupcake pans with 16 cupcake liners.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, ground cinnamon, and ground nutmeg. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, vegetable oil, egg, and vanilla extract until well combined and smooth. Add in the finely grated carrots, undrained crushed pineapple, and milk, and whisk until the ingredients are well combined. Add in the dry ingredients and mix until the batter is combined and smooth. Fold in the shredded sweetened coconut, raisins, and chopped pecans.
- Portion the cupcake batter into the cupcake liners using a large cookie scoop (about 3/4 full). Bake the cupcakes for 20 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
- First, make the brown butter. You can make the brown butter ahead of time. Add the unsalted butter to a medium saucepan and place over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until the butter is melted. Continue to cook the butter, stirring regularly, until the butter starts to foam. At this point, the milk solids in the butter will start to turn a golden brown color. Stir the butter constantly so the milk solids do not burn. Once your achieve a golden brown color (which will happen quickly), remove the saucepan from the heat and pour the brown butter into a heat-safe bowl immediately.
- Cool the melted brown butter to room temperature, then, cover and chill the butter in the refrigerator until it solidifies. Bring the brown butter to room temperature before making the buttercream frosting.
- To make the brown butter cream cheese frosting, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or in a large mixing bowl with an electric hand mixer, cream the room temperature brown butter and cream cheese for 5 minutes until it is light, pale, and creamy.
- Add in half of the powdered sugar and mix on low speed until combined. Add in the remaining half of the powdered sugar and continue to mix on low speed until fully combined with the butter and cream cheese. Add in the vanilla extract and salt and mix on low speed until combined. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure the ingredients are well incorporated.
- Turn the mixer to medium speed and whip the frosting for 2 to 3 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl occasionally, until the frosting is smooth and creamy. Mix the cream cheese frosting on low speed for several minutes to remove any air bubbles and to smooth out the frosting.
Assembling the Cupcakes
- Fill a piping bag fitted with an Wilton 2D piping tip with the brown butter cream cheese frosting. Pipe a generous swirl of frosting onto the cooled loaded carrot cake cupcakes. Decorate the cupcakes with toasted shredded coconut and pecans.
Notes
- Store the cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. Serve the cupcakes at room temperature for the best taste and texture.
Made This Recipe?
Please leave a comment with a star rating to let me know how you enjoyed the recipe!
About Courtney
Baker | 80s Lover | Cookbook Author
Courtney is a self-taught home baker and cookbook author of “Girls Just Wanna Bake Cupcakes”. She loves to create new and unique recipes while simultaneously listening to 80s music.
Never Miss A Sweet Recipe!
Subscribe get the latest recipes, baking tips and more sent straight to your inbox!
Did you make this recipe or want to see more? Make sure to leave your review below and tag me on Instagram @CakeMeHomeTonight so I can see your creations!