Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting

Rich and decadent Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting take the classic dessert to a whole new level. Incredibly moist carrot cake cupcakes loaded with warm spices and studded with crunchy toasted pecans are topped with an outrageously good brown butter cream cheese frosting amplified by toasted milk powder. These crowd-pleasing carrot cake cupcakes are perfect for Easter celebrations, holiday gatherings, or anytime you need to satisfy an intense carrot cake craving!

Like clockwork, I get that familiar text around this time every year: "What do you want for your birthday…besides carrot cake?" It's become a running joke because carrot cake is hands down my #1 requested "gift". I'm an equal opportunity carrot cake lover - whether it's studded with raisins, coconut, pineapple or walnuts, I'll happily devour every last crumb. But when I'm the one doing the baking, I have my own perfect carrot cake vision: ultra-moist, simple spice-packed cupcakes loaded with wonderfully crunchy toasted pecans and topped with the most indulgent, rich, nutty brown butter cream cheese frosting imaginable.

These spiced cupcakes deliver on all fronts. They're decadent and beautiful yet surprisingly simple to whip up from scratch. Rather than fussing with layering components or ornate decorations, I like to opt for individual portioned cupcakes that get generously piped with velvety frosting and a sprinkling of toasted pecans. And even though they do wind up looking quite pretty if I do say so myself, it's really the flavor that makes them a must for all of the celebrations - Easter, Mother's Day, and yes, of course, birthdays (wink wink).

Why you'll love it

These moist and flavorful carrot cake cupcakes have so many irresistible qualities. Here's a quick summary:

• AMPLIFIED CARROT CAKE FLAVOR: By upping the typical amount of warming spices, pre-toasting the pecans, using nutty browned butter, and adding the secret ingredient of toasted milk powder in the frosting, this recipe takes traditional carrot cake flavors to the next level.
• EASY TO MAKE: If layer cakes seem daunting, these carrot cupcakes are perfect for you. They're surprisingly simple to whip up from scratch, and you don't have to be a master cake decorator for them to turn out impressively!
• PARTY-FRIENDLY SERVING: Rather than fussing with cutting cake for a crowd, carrot cupcakes give you a simple grab-and-go option for all types of gatherings. Convenience and great flavor is a win in my book!

Key ingredients

From cozy spices and fresh carrots to nutty browned butter and toasty pecans, this recipe is loaded with flavors. But it also has all the basics for creating an incredibly moist, tender cupcake:

• Flour, Baking Powder, Baking Soda, Salt - These basic pantry ingredients provide the structural base and leavening for getting a perfect soft, cakey crumb.
• Carrots - You'll need 1 ½ cups of freshly grated carrots, which add moisture, sweetness, and tons of carrot flavor. Using pre-shredded just won't be the same - we'll get into that in a minute!
• Cinnamon, Ginger, Nutmeg, and Cloves - Warm spices (like you'd use in pumpkin or apple pies) are essential to the flavor of carrot cake. This group is the perfect combo for plenty of coziness without being too overwhelming.
• Brown Sugar, Oil, Eggs - These wet ingredients contributing further moisture and richness to the cake. Using brown sugar rather than granulated also adds more depth of flavor, and helps to activate the leaveners in the batter.
• Pecans - Toasted chopped pecans get folded into the batter and sprinkled on top, giving great crunch and nuttiness. Feel free to substitute for walnuts, if desired, or omit them if you're not a fan of nuts in baked goods.
• Brown Butter - Browning the butter creates amazing nutty, caramelized depth of flavor in the frosting that complements the spices.
• Milk Powder - The secret ingredient! Toasting it infuses the frosting with intense nutty, creamy notes - like super-charged brown butter!
• Cream Cheese - Cream cheese provides a tangy balance to the sweet brown butter frosting and spiced cake. Make sure to use brick cream cheese- not the whipped spreadable kind- for best results.

Tips for shredding carrots

While it may be tempting to use pre-shredded carrots from the grocery store, taking the few minutes to grate your own carrots makes a big difference in these cupcakes. Freshly grated carrots have bright flavor, vibrant color and a tender yet sturdy texture that gets dispersed seamlessly into the batter.

Grating carrots by hand on a box grater can be tedious, but a food processor fitted with a shredding disc makes quick work of shredding 1 ½ cups of tightly packed carrot shreds. Just trim the ends off of 3-4 medium carrots, cut them into 2-inch pieces, and send them through the feed tube to get optimally shredded pieces.

One extra step that's worth taking - give the shredded carrots a few quick chops with a knife once they're grated. This helps break up the long shreds so the carrot pieces incorporate into the batter more evenly, so the flavor and moisture will be present in every bite of your cupcakes.

Let's talk about that Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting

Ccream cheese frosting is delicious on its own- it's probably a large part of what makes people love carrot cake in the first place. But browning the butter before making this frosting takes it to another level of incredible. As the butter cooks, the milk solids take on a nutty, caramelized flavor that tastes rich and decadent when whipped into the tangy cream cheese base.

But the secret ingredient that truly amplifies this frosting? Toasted milk powder! Milk powder is essentially dehydrated milk with an already concentrated dairy flavor. Popping it in the oven encourages those nutty, toasted notes to develop even more deeply. When beaten into the brown butter cream cheese frosting, it adds an intense layer of sweet, caramelized dairy taste.

The combination of nutty browned butter and toasted milk powder makes tangy cream cheese frosting have even more depth and richness, which complements the spiced carrot cupcakes perfectly. For a full deep-dive, check out this blog post on How to Brown Butter!

How to Make Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Brown Butter Frosting

These delicious carrot cake cupcakes come together in just a few simple steps:

1. Toast the Pecans and Milk Powder. Get maximum flavor by toasting the chopped pecans and milk powder on a baking sheet until lightly browned and fragrant. This step amps up their nuttiness.
2. Make the Cupcake Batter. The batter mixes up quickly - just whisk the dry ingredients, whisk the wet ingredients, then fold them together along with the freshly grated carrots and toasted pecans.
3. Bake the Cupcakes. Divide the batter between muffin cups and bake until a toothpick inserted in the centers comes out clean. Let them cool completely before frosting.
4. Brown the Butter. While the cupcakes cool, brown the butter for the frosting by cooking it over medium heat until it takes on a nutty aroma and toasted milk solids appear at the bottom of the pan.
5. Make the Frosting. Beat the browned butter with cream cheese, toasted milk powder, powdered sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy. Pipe or spread it generously over the cooled cupcakes.

For the full recipe details and dressing instructions, see the recipe card below!

FAQs

Q: Can I make these into a layered cake instead of cupcakes? Yes, you can bake this batter in 8 or 9-inch round cake pans to make a layered carrot cake instead of cupcakes. The bake time will need to be increased to 30-35 minutes.

Q: How should I store leftover cupcakes? Keep frosted cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Let them come to room temp before serving for best texture.

Q: Can I freeze carrot cake cupcakes? Yes, unfrosted cupcakes freeze beautifully! Once completely cooled, wrap them tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temp and frost before serving.

Q: Can I make the frosting ahead of time?
The brown butter cream cheese frosting can be made 1-2 days ahead and stored covered in the refrigerator. Let it come to room temp and re-whip before frosting cupcakes.

Q: What can I use instead of pecans? Walnuts would be a delicious substitute for the pecans, if you prefer. Or leave out the nuts entirely for a nut-free version. Other possible mix-ins include raisins, shredded coconut, or pineapple - but if using pineapple, be mindful that you may need a bit more flour to make up for the excess liquid.

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