Carrot cake is a must-make dessert to make in the spring and these new Salted Caramel Carrot Cake Cupcakes will be the twist you will fall in love with. Soft and moist carrot cakes are topped with Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting and topped with caramel drizzle and a sprinkle of salt.
CARROT CAKE CUPCAKES
I’ve spent the whole weekend last week, trying to think of spring recipes to share with you guys. Lemon, lemon, and more lemon recipes just kept popping in my head. Then I thought “there has got to be more than just lemon, why am I stuck on lemon?” Hours later, it finally hit me…
Carrot Cake!
How did I not think about carrot cake first? It is THE spring recipe and the best dessert to make for Easter celebration. Carrot cakes are awesome for so many reasons. First of all, no mixer is needed for making carrot cake and that’s always a huge plus for me. Second of all, the cakes have the best soft and moist texture. Oh, and I can’t forget to mention how perfectly it pairs with caramel. If it goes well caramel, it’s aces in my book!
For this recipe, I used Hershey’s Hot Caramel Topping. I specifically chose that because this caramel topping is much thicker than a regular caramel topping so it doesn’t run right off the cupcake after you drizzle it. When using it, I recommend heating it just to room temperature or a little bit warmer. Do not use it hot or it will melt the frosting!
Some More Cupcake Recipes:
Spiced Cheesecake Swirled Carrot Cake
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Salted Caramel Carrot Cake Cupcakes
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups finely grated carrots
- 2 eggs room temperature
- 3/4 cup white granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil + 1 Tbsp
- 1 cup flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- Frosting:
- 8 oz cream cheese
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
- 3 Tbsp hot caramel topping room temperature
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- Topping:
- Hot caramel topping warmed but not hot
- Coarse salt
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine eggs, carrots, and oil. Mix very well until completely combined.
- Add flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon. Blend well.
- Let the batter stand for 10-15 minutes while preheating the oven. (I like to let the batter stand to let the carrot flavor and juices to infuse throughout the batter. Give it a little stir before dividing the batter among the cupcake cups.)
- Preheat the oven to 350 and line a muffin baking pan with cupcake liners.
- Divide the batter evenly among the cups, filling them about 3/4 full.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes. Take out and let them cool for 10 minutes before taking them out of the pan. Cool cupcakes completely on a wire rack before frosting.
- Frosting:
- Beat cream cheese and butter in a mixing bowl, on medium-high speed, for a couple of minutes. Lower the speed to low and add powdered sugar and caramel topping. Mix on low just until powdered sugar is mixed in and raise the speed back to medium-high. Beat for 2-3 minutes, until light and fluffy.
- For extra salted caramel flavor, I like to drizzle caramel and sprinkle a little coarse salt on top of the cupcake and on top of the frosting. You can choose to do just the frosting or both.
- Transfer the frosting into a piping bag fitted with your favorite frosting attachment. Frost the cupcakes.
- Drizzle some caramel topping over each cupcake and sprinkle some coarse salt.
Notes
Jane says
About to make these and I’m so excited!!!!
lyuba says
I really hope you liked them, Jane!! Thank you 🙂
Amber says
Can you add caramel in the middle, or will it be too sweet?
LyubaB says
Hi Amber, that is hard to answer because everyone’s sweetness level is different. I personally, don’t like real sweet but my husband can spoon sugar into his mouth. 😉 But if you would like to try it I would go with a caramel topping vs a sauce since it is thicker.
Amber says
Thank you!
Amber says
They were SOOOOOO good.
LyubaB says
Yay! I am so happy! Thanks for coming back and letting me know! 😀
Adrienne B says
The carrot cake cupcakes just didn’t turn out for me. I doubled the recipe to try to get about 2 dozen cupcakes and after the first 12 came out of the oven I tried adding more flour to the batter to thicken it up a bit. The batter was runny and the cupcakes fell as soon as I took them out of the oven. I gave them an extra 5 minutes past the 20~ mark and they were still undercooked and wet when I tried to take one out of the wrapper. The only thing I can think of is that the 1 Cup of flour in the recipe was not enough to hold the structure of them. Ah well, live and learn.
Sherry says
Hi. I plan on making your Salted Caramel Carrot Cake Cupcakes for a friend & wanted to ask if the 1 cup of flour needed in the recipe is an All-purpose flour or self-rising flour? Can’t wait to see how they turn out. They look yummy. Thanks for your time in reading & responding to my question.
lyuba says
Hi Sherry!
I use all purpose flour. I really hope you guys like it!
Cathy Reynolds says
I’m going to try these, it will be perfect for Fall…I will post pics…Cathy R.
LyubaB says
Hi, Cathy! They really are the perfect fall cupcake! Let me know how you like them 🙂
Grammasue says
OUTSTANDING!!!!!!! Lyuba, these are the BEST carrot cake cupcakes my husband and I have ever tasted. I added the warm caramel and walnuts on top of the frosting, and added the walnuts to the batter, as well. no other add-ins but I know some ppl like that-we do not. Just our taste. I made them two days ago (was able to get 12). They are not gone on the third day! Oink-Oink. It is only my husband and I and he called these “heaven”… Thank you soooo very much for sharing your wonderful recipe! Best of luck to you! I hope everyone tries these! They are THAT good!
Melissa says
Can you make the frosting ahead then put on cupcakes when you will serve them.
LyubaB says
Hi Melissa,
I wouldn’t recommend making the frosting ahead of time because the cream cheese and butter will get hard again making it very difficult to frost the cupcakes. You could frost the cupcakes and then put them both in the fridge. Take them out about 20-30 minutes before you plan on serving them.