These fluffy Gluten Free Carrot Cake Cupcakes packed with wholesome ingredients and topped with homemade cream cheese frosting are perfect for Easter celebrations.
If you like easy dessert recipes, you'll love our gluten free carrot cake! As well as these gluten free brownies, easy apple cider cupcakes, gluten free lemon drizzle cake, creamy gluten free cheesecake, and these peanut butter oatmeal bars.
Why I love these Gluten-Free Carrot Cake Cupcakes
- Easy spring dessert: These cupcakes come together effortlessly, making them the perfect dessert for busy schedules. Just like these gluten free nutter butter cookies, they also go great in school lunches and after school snacks.
- Big flavor, simple ingredients: Made with pantry staple ingredients like gluten free flour, carrots, and walnuts, these cupcakes come together in a breeze. But, don't be fooled, they are packed with all the fun flavors.
- Easy to store and share: You can make a batch of these cupcakes ahead of time and store them for a few days. Great for snacking, sharing, or a quick and easy dessert, similar to this gluten free christmas crack.
- Great for Easter celebrations: Whether you're hosting a big Easter brunch or a casual dinner with friends and family, these cupcakes capture the essence of Easter.
Ingredients
- Carrots
- Brown Sugar
- Oil
- Vanilla
- Raisins
- Cinnamon
- Ginger
- Nutmeg
- Baking Powder & Soda
- GF Flour
- Eggs
- Powdered Sugar
- Cream Cheese
- Milk
- Butter
How to make Gluten Free Carrot Cupcakes
Wet ingredients: In a large bowl, mix together all of the wet ingredients until smooth.
Dry ingredients: In another large mixing bowl, mix together the dry ingredients. Then, slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients until incorporated.
Add in the add-ins: Throw in your chopped walnuts, carrots, and raisins and mix.
Divide and bake: Using a cookie scoop or ice cream scoop, divide the batter into lined muffin tins. Bake until golden brown or until a toothpick comes out clean.
The frosting: While the cupcakes are baking/cooling, mix all of the frosting ingredients together in the bowl of a stand mixer.
Frost and serve: Once the cupcakes have cooled on a wire rack to room temperature, frost them with the homemade frosting and top with more crushed walnuts and carrot shavings.
Pro tip: You can grate your carrots into small pieces using a food processor to save some time in the kitchen.
Recipe variations
- Lemon twist: For a little citrus spin, add a hint of lemon zest and juice to the batter before baking.
- Coconut carrot cupcakes: Stir in shredded coconut flakes to the cupcake batter before baking and sprinkle more on top after they're done.
- Vegan: You can make these carrot cake cupcakes vegan by using flax eggs and vegan cream cheese for the frosting. This is a great way to cater to any dietary restrictions.
Make ahead, storage, and freezing instructions
How to make ahead: You can make these cupcakes a few days in advance or up to 2 months in advance. Just following the storing and/or freezing instructions below.
Storing: Once the cupcakes have cooled to room temperature, store in an airtight container on the counter for 3 days. Or, store in the fridge for up to 5 days. Although they're best fresh, this is a great way to save some time.
Freezing: You can freeze unfrosted cupcakes in a ziplock bag or freezer safe container for up to 2 months. Before you're ready to serve, let thaw at room temperature or in the fridge overnight and make the frosting fresh.
More dessert recipes you'll love
- Gluten free apple cake
- Gluten free cupcakes
- Easy crock pot candy
- Cherry chip cookies
- Gluten free Oreo balls
- Fried gluten free donuts
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Gluten Free Carrot Cake Cupcakes
Ingredients
The Cupcakes
- 1 cup walnuts chopped
- 1 ¼ cup brown sugar
- ¾ cup vegetable oil
- 3 eggs
- ¼ cup raisins
- 1 ¾ cup gluten-free flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups grated carrots
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
- ¾ cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 4 ⅓ cups powdered sugar
- 1 to 2 tablespoons milk or heavy cream if necessary
Instructions
Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350 F degrees and line up a muffin tin with cupcake cups.
- In a large bowl, whisk the brown sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla extract together until combined.
- In another large bowl, whisk the gluten-free flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg, until everything is well combined.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and using a spatula, fold the ingredients together until combined. Then, fold in the carrots, raisins and crushed walnuts.
- Divide the batter evenly among the cake pans. Smooth the batter evenly into each pan with the back of a spoon.
- Bake the cakes on 350F for about 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out with only a few crumbs attached.
- Allow cupcakes to cool in the pan for 10 minutes and turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- Beat the butter and cream cheese in a medium mixing bowl until smooth.
- Beat in the vanilla and salt. With the mixer on low, gradually beat in the powdered sugar.
- Once all the sugar is incorporated, turn the mixer to medium and mix until the frosting is smooth. If the frosting is too thick, add a splash of milk or heavy cream. If it’s too thin, add in more powdered sugar.
- Frost the cupcakes and decorate with crushed walnuts.
Notes
Recipe variations
- Lemon twist: For a little citrus spin, add a hint of lemon zest and juice to the batter before baking.
- Coconut carrot cupcakes: Stir in shredded coconut flakes to the cupcake batter before baking and sprinkle more on top after they're done.
- Vegan: You can make these carrot cake cupcakes vegan by using flax eggs and vegan cream cheese for the frosting. This is a great way to cater to any dietary restrictions.
Make ahead, storage, and freezing instructions
How to make ahead: You can make these cupcakes a few days in advance or up to 2 months in advance. Just following the storing and/or freezing instructions below. Storing: Once the cupcakes have cooled to room temperature, store in an airtight container on the counter for 3 days. Or, store in the fridge for up to 5 days. Although they're best fresh, this is a great way to save some time. Freezing: You can freeze unfrosted cupcakes in a ziplock bag or freezer safe container for up to 2 months. Before you're ready to serve, let thaw at room temperature or in the fridge overnight and make the frosting fresh.Nutrition
What flour works best for these gluten free cupcakes?
I recommend using a high quality gluten-free flour blend like Bob's red mill or King Author's. Do not use almond flour, coconut flour, or oat flour as this will cause the texture of these healthy carrot cake cupcakes to change. A type of flour that contains xanthan gum is always a good idea as it helps the moist cupcakes set properly
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