Carrot cupcakes with cream cheese icing

baked, recipes

Carrot cupcakes with cream cheese icing

baked, recipes

Carrot cupcakes

With Easter just round the corner I wanted to make something that was a bit of a treat! A couple of years ago I made some apple and cinnamon hot cross buns which where gorgeous, as well as a lazy courgette and pesto tart and chocolate cupcakes. James loves carrot cake, so I thought I’d get to work on creating a healthy but still very tasty cupcake version, topped with yummy cream cheese icing.

Carrot cake 3

I made this version without added dried fruit or nuts that are often found in carrot cake (as James isn’t a fan) but definitely add some raisins or chopped walnuts if you like them. I also made these the yesterday for my young people’s community group in a blueberry version and they went down very well! The recipe is pretty versatile so feel free to try different ingredients in place of the carrot.

Carrotcake1

As much as I’ve called these cupcakes, they do have a more muffin like texture due to the whole grain spelt flour I used. If you’d like something a bit lighter, go half spelt or wholemeal flour and half plain flour. However the texture is still wonderfully moist, from the added coconut oil and yoghurt.

Carrot cake 6

Carrot Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Icing
Yields 8
A lovely moist carrot sponge topped with silky sweet cream cheese icing
Print
For the cupcakes
  1. 3 eggs
  2. 1/4 cup coconut oil (melted)
  3. 1/4 cup yoghurt
  4. 1/3 cup coconut sugar (or sub brown sugar)
  5. 1 1/4 cups whole grain spelt flour
  6. 1 tsp baking powder
  7. 1.5 tsp ground cinnamon
  8. 0.5 tsp ground nutmeg
  9. 2 medium carrots, grated
For the icing
  1. 1/2 cup full fat cream cheese
  2. 1 tbsp yoghurt
  3. 1/2 - 1 tbsp stevia powder
Instructions
  1. Pre heat the oven to 180 and fill a muffin tray with liners or silicone moulds. Combine the eggs, yoghurt and coconut sugar, then add the melted coconut oil in a fine drizzle while whisking. Sift in the flour, baking powder and spices and mix well. Fold in the grated carrot. Divide the mixture between cupcake cases filling to 3/4 full. Bake for 15 - 20 minutes until risen and firm to the touch. Allow to cool fully before icing.
  2. To make the icing, whisk all the ingredients together and refrigerate so it firms up a little again. Dollop on top of each cake and enjoy!
Notes
  1. Feel free to add 1/2 cup of raisins or other dried fruit to the batter to increase the sweetness. You could also add some chopped nuts.
Adapted from My Carrot, Date and Walnut Muffins
Wholeheartedly Laura https://wholeheartedlylaura.com/
Carrot cake 11

Do you like baked goods with veggies in them? I also love a good courgette bread and I must try beetroot chocolate cake at some point! Do you have a favourite Easter recipe?

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23 Comments

  1. zoetcm

    I love making cake with butternut squash and with courgette! Absolute faves. The veg makes the cake so lovely and moist. Ur carrot cupcakes look yummy. I usually take a carrot cake recipe and substitute the carrot for butternut squash – works really well! :-)

    Reply
    • Laura

      I definitely need to try using butternut squash, I guess it’s probably a bit like sweet potato!

      Reply
  2. Rachel

    I have a gorgeous chocolate courgette loaf cake recipe from the Green & Blacks cookbook – it’s hardly a healthy recipe and it takes ages to make but it’s so good and keeps for ages. This recipe looks like a good one to try, too. Still loving those sweet potato choc chip cookies, I tried some with pumpkin puree and some with banana (so none with actual sweet potato!) and both were lovely. The banana ones were hoovered up by friends in no time!

    Reply
    • Laura

      That sounds lovely, anything with chocolate is a winner ;-) Glad you enjoyed the cookies!

      Reply
  3. Zoe

    These look lovely. Please send me one! Pleeeeeeeeeeeease! :-D

    Reply
    • Laura

      I wish they would keep in the post and then I would!

      Reply
  4. Ms.J

    Oh I am such a sucker for carrot cake! And I actually prefer a more dense, muffiny texture than a light airy cake. Truth be told I haven’t come into any contact with veggie-filled baked goods (other than regular carrot cake), but I’d like to try out a beetroot something at some point.
    Apple hot cross buns sound like a remarkable twist on an old classic :)

    Reply
    • Laura

      You should definitely try some veggie packed baked goods, they make them so moist and filling – courgette is a good one!

      Reply
  5. Lara

    For some reason I love courgette bread (so much so I had to stop making it as I was just eating WAY to much of it), but I have never tried carrot cake …. probably a good thing though ;-)

    Reply
    • Laura

      Courgette bread is one of my faves, I have to keep the slices wrapped in foil in the freezer so I don’t eat the lot!

      Reply
  6. Christina

    Yum! I love carrot cake anything, and these look so nice.

    Reply
    • Laura

      Thanks Christina!

      Reply
  7. Anna @AnnaTheApple

    Once again, a lovely recipe!
    Carrot cake is up there as one of my favourite. When it’s perfectly moist and dense, oh I love it! I don’t mind veggies in my cakes at all. I think it’s a great way to sneak in some added nutrition. If it tastes good that’s all that matters to me! :)

    Reply
    • Laura

      Thanks Anna! Oh yes, as long as it tastes good anything goes I think!

      Reply
  8. kezia

    Chocolate Fudge Beetroot cake is the one to try – it is so good and fudgey! Always a cake winner in my house – i need to try these with coconut flour …:)

    Reply
    • Laura

      Mmm that sounds right up my street!

      Reply
    • Laura

      Thanks Claire, it would definitely make a lovely afternoon tea :-)

      Reply
  9. LilyLipstick

    These look so good – I love the idea of using cream cheese as icing. I’ve tried beetroot chocolate cake – a colleague made one and brought it into work and it was so good. You wouldn’t know it had beetroot in it if no one told you! x

    Reply
  10. Maria @ runningcupcake

    I love carrot cake- these sound delicious! I would be adding in sultanas and chopped nuts, and maybe some lemon or orange zest to the icing too :)

    Reply
    • Laura

      I have to say the basic recipe is really good, they came out so moist! I’ll definitely have to make myself a batch with the dried fruit :-)

      Reply
  11. Nicole Marie Story

    Next year there will be an Easter basket for someone little!!! ;)

    Reply
    • Laura

      I know, I find that a scary thought!

      Reply

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