Healthy Carrot Cupcakes
These healthy carrot cupcakes are moist, delicious and topped with a decadent cream cheese frosting plus homemade marzipan. Perfect for dessert or anytime of day.
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!