You would never know these carrot cupcakes are dairy-free and gluten-free! They are moist, fluffy, full of flavor and topped with a decadent cream cheese frosting.
Growing up we always enjoyed a slice of carrot cake for Easter dessert. This recipe is a healthier version in the form of cupcakes! This carrot cupcake recipe is dairy-free, egg-free, lactose-free but taste almost exactly like the traditional carrot cake I loved so much as a child. They truly are adorable for Easter, but I make them year-round. The recipe calls for simple ingredients you likely already have in your kitchen. Since these cupcakes are much lower in sugar than traditional, you can enjoy them any time of day. I love having one with my morning coffee.
When these carrot cupcakes are in the oven an amazing aroma will fill your home. I topped the cupcakes with a dairy-free cream cheese frosting, chopped almonds, cinnamon and homemade marzipan I shaped into flowers and bunnies for Easter. If you like marzipan I highly recommend my 4-ingredient marzipan recipe! I hope you enjoy these carrot cake cupcakes as much as we do!
Xx – Britt
Ingredients:
- Grated carrots
- Gluten-free all purpose flour
- Almond flour: You can replace almond flour with 1/2 cup of finely chopped or ground almonds
- Coconut sugar: can be replaced with raw cane sugar or regular granulated sugar.
- Applesauce: the apple sauce acts as an egg replacement. You can also replace with 2 eggs. Applesauce provides some extra sweetness, so if using eggs I recommend adding more sweetener.
- Baking powder and baking soda (can replace baking soda with 1 tsp more baking powder)
- Cinnamon and nutmeg: I like a spiced nutty flavor, but you can add less cinnamon if you prefer.
- Coconut oil: you can replace coconut oil with another vegetable oil if preferred.
- Almond milk: can be replaced with another plant milk.
- Vanilla and Almond extract: I love the flavor of these two extracts combined, but you can replace almond extract with another 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract, if you don’t have almond extract or prefer only vanilla.
- Lemon juice, orange juice, or apple cider vinegar: any of these work lovely in this recipe
- Orange zest: I add a touch of orange zest for a fresh citrus flavor. You can omit this ingredient if you prefer.
Healthy Carrot Cupcakes
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cup grated carrots
- 1 1/2 cup gluten-free all purpose flour
- 1/3 cup finely chopped almonds
- 1/2 cup coconut sugar add 2 tbsp more for a sweeter version or if using eggs
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 2 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- dash nutmeg
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup coconut oil or vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup applesauce or 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup almond milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp almond extract
- 1 tbsp lemon juice, orange juice or apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 tsp orange zest optional
Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting
- 7 oz dairy-free cream cheese regular works as well
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar or monk fruit sweetener
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Toppings
- 1/3 cup chopped almonds
- dash of cinnamon
- homemade marzipan flowers and bunnies Recipe linked in blog!
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F
- Line muffin tin with baking cups.
- Grate carrots finely and set aside.
- In a mixing bowl or measuring up whisk together apple sauce, coconut oil, almond milk, sugar, lemon juice, orange zest, vanilla extract, almond extract and set aside.
- In mixing bowl add gluten-free flour, almond flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and combine well.
- Pour wet mixture into dry mixture and mix just until combined (overmixing may cause denser cupcakes)
- Fold in the carrots then add batter to baking cups.
- Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes. When toothpick comes out clean they are ready!
- Allow muffins to cool in pan for 15 minutes. While they are cooling add cream cheese, powdered suagr and vanilla extract to bowl and mix until smooth.
- Pipe or spoon frosting onto cupcakes then garnish with chopped almonds, cinnamon and marzipan.
- Enjoy!
