Carrot Cake Cupcakes

Everyone loves carrot cake but it is so much more fun in cupcake form! These Carrot Cake Cupcakes have the traditional carrot cake flavors; the grated carrots add fiber and make the cupcakes super moist. The coconut cream cheese icing is dairy free, but you would never know! The sprinkles don’t contain any dye or chemicals, can you guess what they are? Keep reading to discover my super secret ingredients.

Carrots are a great ingredient to add to any meal because they are one of the riches sources of pro-vitamin A carotenoids (alpha- and beta-carotene which convert into vitamin A). As you probably already know, vitamin A is great for your vision and helps boots your immune system. It is also an antioxidant which can help protect you against cardiovascular disease. Carrots are rich in fiber and low in calories, so you can munch away on them guilt free.

I use spelt flour for almost all of my recipes. You can find out why by checking out my Stack’em High Pancake recipe and my Humble Apple Pie Crumble recipe. I also like to use cane sugar in my baking because is it not as processed as refined white sugar. Water is the only element removed from the sugar cane during processing, so nothing is added and trace minerals are not destroyed.

To get baking these Carrot Cake Cupcakes, pre-heat oven to 350F and line a muffin pan with extra large baking cups, then gather your ingredients.

In a large bowl mix together 2 cups spelt flour, 1 cup raw cane sugar, 2 tsp baking powder, ½ tsp baking soda, 1 tsp cinnamon and ¼ tsp ginger.

In a smaller bowl whisk together ¼ cup grape seed oil,  1 cup milk alternative (I used almond milk), 1 tsp vanilla and 2 large eggs.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until almost mixed, then fold in the grated carrots.

Pour the Carrot Cake Cupcake batter into the baking cups leaving 1-2cm of space from the top of the baking cups. This will allow space for the cupcakes to rise.

Bake the Carrot Cake Cupcakes for 25min, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool for at least 30min before you ice them with Coconut Cream Cheese Icing, otherwise the icing will melt.

Coconut Cream Cheese Icing

I have actually tricked people into thinking this delicious dairy free icing was traditional cream cheese icing! The secret ingredient is the apple cider vinegar which makes it taste like cream cheese. My second secret is the sprinkles – they are made from finely processed carrots! They give the Carrot Cake Cupcakes a fun burst of color without adding toxic dye or chemicals.

To make the icing sugar I processed 2 cups of golden cane sugar in a food processor (I used a Magic Bullet).  You could use regular icing sugar however, as I mentioned above, cane sugar is a healthier alternative.

The coconut oil should be a buttery consistency at room temperature, if it is too runny put it in the fridge for a minute or two and if it is too solid soften it slowly on the stove. In a small bowl cream together ½ cup coconut oil, 1 tsp vanilla, ½ tsp salt and 2 cups icing sugar.

Add ½ Tbsp apple cider vinegar and slowly add the milk alternative until the desired consistency is reached at room temperature. The coconut oil will liquefy at 24C, so to ensure the proper consistency is reached, prepare the icing at the same temperature it will be served in. You can adjust the consistency by either adding milk or icing sugar.

Once the icing is smooth, spread it on the cooled Carrot Cake Cupcakes with a knife or use a piping bag.

To make the sprinkles, process half of a peeled carrot until you get little sprinkle like pieces of carrot and sprinkle them over the iced cupcakes.

The Carrot Cake Cupcakes are best enjoyed the same day as they are made but can be kept in the fridge for a couple days. If you are storing them in the fridge, remove them 1-2 hours before serving to let the icing soften.

Prep time: 15min

Inactive prep time: 30min

Cook time: 25min

Serving size: 12 cupcakes

Ingredients:

• 2 cups spelt flour
• 1 cup raw cane sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp ground ginger
• ¼ cup grape seed oil
• 1 cup milk alternative
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups grated carrot (4 small carrots)

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350F and line muffin pan with extra large baking cups.
2. Mix all dry ingredients together with a spoon.
3. Whisk wet ingredients together until frothy.
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until mixed, then fold in the grated carrots.
5. Pour the batter into the baking cups, filling them 1-2cm from the top of the baking cup. Cook for 25min or until the tooth pick inserted in the center comes out clean.
6. Let the cupcakes cool for 30 min, then ice them with the Coconut Cream Cheese icing below.

 Coconut Cream Cheese Icing

Ingredients

• ½ cup coconut oil at room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla
• ½ tsp Himalayan salt
• 2 cups golden cane sugar (processed into icing sugar)
• ½ Tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 Tbsp milk alternative, as required
• ½ a carrot

Directions:

1. The coconut oil should be a buttery consistency at room temperature, if it is too runny put it in the fridge for a minute or two. Cream the coconut oil, vanilla, salt and icing sugar together.
2. Add the apple cider vinegar and mix. Slowly add the milk until the desired consistency is reached at room temperature. The coconut oil will liquefy at 24C, so to ensure the proper consistency is reached, prepare the filling in the same temperature it will be served in, adjusting the consistency by adding milk or additional icing sugar.
3. Spread the Coconut Cream Cheese Icing on the cooled Carrot Cake Cupcakes using a knife or piping bag.
4. To make the sprinkles, process half of a carrot until you get little sprinkle like pieces of carrot and sprinkle them over the iced cupcakes.