When you have the best recipe for carrot cake it’s only natural to turn it into carrot cake cupcakes!
The best part is you don’t need any vegan cream cheese which also means no refrigeration required!
Simply adding a teaspoon of lactic acid to my buttercream recipe makes a cream cheese icing better than any one I have ever tried!
This recipe for carrot cake is so versatile you can bake the batter into just about any pan you like!
CLICK HERE FOR THE YOUTUBE VIDEO TUTORIAL FOR HOW TO MIX THE CARROT CAKE BATTER
This website may contain links as part of the Amazon Affiliate program, which means when you click a link and make a purchase through my website I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you
Notes for Success:
This recipe also bakes perfectly into loaves and bundts and of course cake layers and sheet cakes too
Make it Gluten Free!
Bob’s Red Mill all purpose 1:1 blend works great here! *not sponsored
Although I would reduce the amount of flax meal and water amount by half
As well as baking for an additional 10 to 20 minutes longer than the recipe specifies *this time is dependent upon the size of the pans you are using
If you watch the video tutorial you will see the original recipe for vegan cream cheese icing
However I’ve updated the recipe below to a better more user friendly recipe
Since vegan cream cheese it is an extremely finicky ingredient to work with not to mention for some of us, it is really hard to find!
I love this new recipe for 2-2-2 Cream Cheese Icing since it requires no cream cheese and no refrigeration
I use vegan lactic acid for the signature tang that we all know and love when it comes to cream cheese icing
But if you cannot get Lactic Acid or you don’t want to buy it, apple Cider Vinegar works well too
Flax is my choice for egg replacer here but you can use any other egg replacer you like equivalent to 2 eggs
If your egg replacer requires reconstituting, use some of the liquid from the recipe do not add more.
Also if you are not a fan of the tropical version you can leave out the pineapple and coconut and use walnuts and raisins instead
Yield: 18 cupcakes
Carrot Cake Cupcakes
Prep Time
2 hours
Cook Time
25 minutes
Total Time
2 hours 25 minutes
Ingredients
For the Carrot Cake Cupcakes:
- Vegetable Oil ¾ cup (177ml)
- All Purpose Flour 1 cup + 10 tablespoons (205g)
- Baking Powder 1 teaspoon (4g)
- Baking Soda 1 teaspoon (4g)
- Salt ¼ teaspoon
- Ground Cinnamon 1¾ teaspoons
- Light Brown Sugar ½ cup (105g)
- Granulated Sugar ½ cup (100g)
- Ground Flax Seeds 3 Tablespoons (24g) *see notes
- Hot Water 6 Tablespoons (90ml)
- Vanilla Extract 1½ teaspoons (7ml)
- Carrots 4 medium (approx 2 cups 250g)
- Crushed canned pineapple drained extremely well ¾ cup *see notes
- Toasted Coconut ½ cup *optional see notes
- Orange Zest & Juice from ¼ large orange approx 1 Tablespoon juice & 1 teaspoon zest
For the 2-2-2 Cream Cheese Icing:
Instructions
- Line your cupcake pan(s) with paper liners
- Preheat your oven to 350°F
- Combine the flax meal with the hot water and let stand to thicken for about 5 minutes
- In a large bowl combine both sugars with the oil, vanilla extract, orange zest & juice and the salt, whisk vigorously to incorporate well
- Sift together all of the dry ingredients directly into the sugar mixture in the bowl and whisk smooth
- Add the grated carrots and drained pineapple and the toasted coconut then mix smooth
- Portion batter into the cupcake pans filling about 3/4 of the way full and bake immediately at 350°F in a preheated oven for approximately 25 minutes or when they are springy to the touch when you gently press the centers.
- Toothpick test is also a good indicator of done-ness
- Cakes are done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs not raw batter.
- Cool the cupcakes in the pans until they are cool to the touch, then flip them out onto a cooling rack to cool completely
- Prepare the cream cheese icing according to the instructions on that recipe post and add the vegan lactic acid powder at the last stage of mixing
Notes
Carrot cake cupcakes with the 2-2-2 cream cheese icing do not have to be refrigerated.
They will stay fresh for about 3 days wrapped loosely at room temperature
For longer storage refrigerate for up to 1 week
Freeze cupcakes wrapped well for up to 1 month
