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Carrot Cake Cupcakes

These vegan Carrot Cake Cupcakes are so easy to eat and make! Perfect for when you've got guests or just when that sweet tooth is aching!

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I struggled to call these muffins because really, what is the difference between a muffin and a cupcake? I think the answer is ICING. I don’t normally eat a ton of icing sugar but when I do, I give myself the permission to enjoy every last bite, lick of the bowl and fingers. I am sure professional bakers could give me a more definitive answer to the many differences between a cupcake and a muffin but they aren’t here haha so we will go with icing. Omit the icing and these are all muffins, so you choose!

I originally wanted to make these with orange juice. When creating them I swore I had a couple in my crisper, Turned out I had a grapefruit but no oranges. I paused for a hot second and then threw caution to the wind and got to making my cupcake/muffins with what I had. Trust your instincts people! I am SO HAPPY with the results and I am pretty sure you will be too. If grapefruit isn’t your jam, make them with oranges. I am going to do that very thing today

TERI ANN CARTY

Food Photographer and Recipe Developer based in Toronto, Canada. 

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Carrot Cake Cupcakes

These vegan Carrot Cake Cupcakes are so easy to eat and make! Perfect for when you've got guests or just when that sweet tooth is aching!
5 from 2 votes
Print Pin Rate
Servings: 12 cupcakes
Author: Teri-Ann Carty
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour

Equipment

  • muffin pan
  • oven

Ingredients

WET INGREDIENTS

  • 2 flax eggs (2 tbsp ground flax+5 tbsp of warm water)
  • 1 banana mashed
  • ½ cup olive oil
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • ¼ cup coconut sugar
  • ¼ cup maple syrup
  • 1 heaping packed cup carrot grated
  • 2 tbsp blood orange juice

DRY INGREDIENTS

  • 1 cup gluten free flour blend
  • ½ cup almond flour
  • ⅔ cup oats (gluten free if necessary)
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • ½ tsp ginger
  • ½ tsp nutmeg

ADD-IN INGREDIENTS

  • ½ cup walnuts chopped
  • ⅓ cup raisins

ICING INGREDIENTS

  • 1 cup icing sugar
  • ¼ cup soft vegan butter
  • 2 tbsp orange juice
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

CUPCAKE INSTRUCTIONS

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin tin with parchment or silicone cupcake holders.
  • Prepare flax eggs in a large bowl and set aside to gel for 10 minutes,
  • Once flax has gelled, mash the banana directly into flax. Add in oil, vanilla, maple syrup, sugar, orange juice and whisk to combine.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk dry ingredients together. Add wet to dry and drop in carrot. Switch to a spatula and mix to combine. Add raisins and nuts . Allow the batter to rest for 10-15 minutes. The carrots will start to release and create more moisture. Use an ice-cream scoop or large spoon to fill up muffin holders 3/4 of the way up. Place in preheated oven and bake for 25-27 minutes. Check by piercing with a toothpick. Should come out clean with a few crumbs on it. Allow to cool completely before adding icing.

ICING INSTRUCTIONS

  • In a medium sized bowl, add icing sugar, butter and 1 tbsp orange juice. Use an electric hand beater (or whisk by hand but the electric makes for a much smoother icing). Start on low and increase speed. Add 1 more tbsp of juice and beat for 1 more minute or until icing is smooth and no butter chunks remain.
  • I used an offset spatula to ice the cupcakes but a piping bag would work as well.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cupcake | Calories: 343kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Sodium: 218mg | Potassium: 150mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin A: 213IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 59mg | Iron: 1mg

*Macros are provided as an estimate for convenience. Your final numbers will vary depending on ingredient brands, substitutions, and how you portion the recipe.

14 Responses

  2. Thank you so… very… much!
    I’m fighting with high cholesterol. I need to stay on a good nutritional diet. And you carrot cake feeds very well.
    Thanks!

    Reply

  3. I’m always looking for good GF, but don’t want vegan. Can I sub real eggs and butter in same amounts?

    Reply
  4. Pingback: Gluten-Free Carrot Cake Baked Oats - Teri-Ann Carty

  5. Could I use real eggs instead and would you recommend these were a small or large size please?
    Thanks 😊

    Reply

  7. 5 stars
    These muffins were delicious! I didn’t have blood orange juice – just used fresh squeezed O.J., and I didn’t frost them because I’m trying to cut back on sugar. They were sweet and moist and fabulous.

    Reply

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