I really love carrot cake. I know, I know. I’m all about chocolate and cookies and rich desserts. How can I like a dessert with a root veggie in it?
Unexpected, I know.
I think I had a lot of carrot cake as a child and so there’s something super nostalgic about it for me. Plus, I mean, that cream cheese frosting!! Who can say no to that?!
I used to meticulously eat the cake part, forking between the frosting layer lines, so that I could save the icing for last.
It was especially creepy because as I was doing this weird icing ritual, I’d be singing in my head “Save the Best for Last” by Vanessa Williams (totally just googled who sang that and then listened to it all over again).
Anywho… cream cheese icing was my jam.
So is that why the cream cheese icing on these cupcakes is almost the same size as the cupcake itself? Maaaaybe. Whether you pile it high or skimp a little on the icing, you’re going to LOVE these healthier carrot cake cupcakes!
Ingredients to make gluten free carrot cake cupcakes with cream cheese frosting:
- butter
- coconut sugar
- eggs
- vanilla extract
- blanched almond flour
- oat flour
- baking powder
- ground ginger
- ground cinnamon
- salt
- carrots
- walnuts
- cream cheese
How to make gluten free carrot cake cupcakes:
Whisk.
Whisk together the butter (ghee or coconut oil works too), coconut sugar, vanilla, and eggs.
Add the almond flour, oat flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, salt, and baking powder. Whisk until everything is combined.
Fold.
Fold in the shredded carrot and walnuts.
Bake.
Place paper liners in your muffin tin. Use an ice cream scooper to scoop the batter into each muffin tin until they’re almost all full. They don’t expand or rise too much, so feel free to make them pretty full.
Bake for 30 minutes, until the top is golden brown. Remove from oven and allow the cupcakes to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
Allow to come to room temperature before icing them.
Make the cream cheese frosting.
In a medium bowl, use an electric mixer to cream together the icing ingredients. Whip them on high until fluffy, about 1 minute.
Transfer the icing to a plastic baggie and cut off one corner. Squeeze the bag to ice each cupcake in a circular motion. Sprinkle with cinnamon.
More gluten free carrot cake recipes:
- Carrot Cake Overnight Oats
- Carrot Cake Bliss Balls
- Macadamia Nut Carrot Cake Cookies
- Gluten Free Carrot Cake Bars
Moist Gluten Free Carrot Cake Cupcakes
Carrot Cake Cupcakes are perfectly sweet, moist and delicious!! Topped with cream cheese frosting, they are perfect!
Ingredients
Carrot Cake Cupcakes:
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/4 cup coconut sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup blanched almond flour
- 2 tablespoons oat flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 1/2 cup salted butter, room temperature
- 8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons agave nectar
- ground cinnamon, for sprinkling on top
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Whisk together the butter, coconut sugar, eggs, and vanilla.
- Add the almond flour, oat flour, baking powder, ground ginger, cinnamon, and salt.
- Whisk until everything is combined.
- Fold in the shredded carrot and chopped walnuts.
- Place liners in your muffin tins.
- Use an ice cream scooper to scoop the batter into each muffin tin until they’re almost all full. They don’t expand or rise too much, so feel free to make them pretty full.
- Bake for 20 minutes, until the top is golden brown.
- Remove from oven and allow the cupcakes to cool in the pan for 10 minutes.
- Transfer the cupcakes to a cooling rack and allow to come to room temperature.
- In a medium bowl, use an electric mixer to cream together the frosting ingredients: butter, cream cheese, agave nectar, and vanilla.
- Whip them on high until fluffy, about 1 minute.
- Transfer the frosting to a plastic baggie and cut off one corner.
- Squeeze the bag to frost each cupcake and sprinkle the tops with ground cinnamon.
- Store in the fridge.
Nutrition Info:
- Serving Size: 1 cupcake
- Calories: 347
- Sugar: 9.8g
- Sodium: 313mg
- Fat: 30.8g
- Saturated Fat: 15.9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 13.9g
- Fiber: 1.3g
- Protein: 5.9g
- Cholesterol: 105mg
Enjoy!! xo
Brittany says
These look so so yummy!! I’m hoping to add some raisins into the mix – any recommendations for how much? Can’t wait to make these this weekend!
Lindsay says
Love that idea!! I would probably just stick to 1/4 – 1/3 a cup of raisins. Enjoy!! xo
Parizad in Az says
Lindsay- Im making these today 🙂 just a question.. I’d like to add a bit of crushed pineapple (about 1/4 cup)..do you think I can add it to the batter or would I need to modify by using a little less of the butter?
Thanks!
Lindsay says
I think you’d be able to fold in some pineapple into the batter without having to decrease anything else. Let me know how you made out! xo
Betty says
I love these recipe I’ll use the basic almond mix to prepare “Tiramisu desert” Muchas Gracias Lindsay,I”m learning more English with your recipes
Lindsay Grimes Freedman says
Aw I love that so much! I’m so glad you are enjoying the recipes! Sending you lots of love! xo
Vanessa says
Hi Lindsay , can I use all purpose flour instead of almond flour. And will the ratio be one for one?
Lindsay Grimes Freedman says
Hi Vanessa! I haven’t tried it will all-purpose flour, so I don’t know how it’ll turn out. But, if you experiment, I would start with 1/4 cup less all-purpose flour and ass more 1 tablespoon at a time as needed. Let me know how it goes! xo
Ashlyn says
The only thing I changed was using coconut flour instead of oat flour and they turned out great! The only thing is that I doubled the recipe and it made 14 small cupcakes so I can’t really imagine that if I had followed the recipe I would have gotten 9 cupcakes out of it? Regardless, it is delicious and I really recommend doubling or tripling the recipe!!
Lindsay Grimes Freedman says
Awesome! I’m so happy the coconut flour worked for you! xo