Carrot Cake Cupcakes

This recipe is courtesy of Laura at Living Beyond Allergies.

With amazing spice flavor, super moist crumb, and sweet frosting, this allergy friendly carrot cake recipe is not one to miss!

This recipe is top 14 free and uses the Vanilla Cake mix and the Vanilla Frosting mix.

What Does this Carrot Cake Taste Like?

Taking inspiration from a traditional carrot cake, this recipe is made allergy friendly, vegan, and gluten free. Flavored with spices like cinnamon and ginger, it has a little zing but isn’t overpowering at all. Carrots lend a subtle sweetness to the cake, as well as giving it the name!  The carrots also transform the batter into a beautiful orange color naturally.

The cake is dense, and if left overnight, the flavors intensify into a magical cake.

If you are looking for a delicious make-ahead cake that everyone will love, this is it!!

Bonus: If you plan on making this cake in the springtime, why not top it with cute bunny candies? I pinky promise they are super easy to make and only require a candy mold and melted chocolate.

How to Make Allergy Friendly Carrot Cake

The first step is to gather all your tools and ingredients. You will need:

Tools Needed:

• Mixing Bowls
• Hand Mixer / Stand Mixer
• Spatulas
• Mixing Spoons
• Measuring Cups / Spoons
• Knife
• Grater
• Muffin Tin
• Cupcake Liners
• Frosting Bag
• Frosting Tip
• Optional: candy mold

Cake Ingredients Needed: 

• 1 x Kate’s Safe and Sweet Vanilla Cake Mix
• 3/4 cup Milk of choice
• 1 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1 tablespoons Neutral Oil
• 1 cup Carrots, finely grated (about 2-3 medium)
• 1 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
• 1 tsp Ginger
• Optional: Raisins, crushed sunflower seeds

Frosting Ingredients Needed: 

• 1 x Kate’s Safe and Sweet Frosting Mix
• 1/2 cup Butter of choice
• 1/4 cup Vegetable Shortening
• 1-2 tbsp Milk of choice
• Optional: 1/4 cup Cream Cheese of choice (see instructions)
• Optional Candies:
• 12 oz Chocolate Chips of Choice
• 1/2 tsp neutral flavored oil

Cupcake Instructions

1. Begin by preheating the oven to 350F. Line a cupcake tray with liners or spray with oil. Set aside.

2. Grate your carrots into small pieces. The smaller the carrots the more they will melt into the batter. For a good texture, I like to finely grate 75% of my carrots and more roughly grate the remaining 25%. Set aside.

3. In a small mixing bowl, combine the milk of your choice with the apple cider vinegar. Let rest for 5 minutes.

4. In a large mixing bowl, place the vanilla cake mix and spices. Give a quick mix. Into this bowl, pour the milk mixture, the grated carrots, and oil. Mix well until fully incorporated.

5. Spoon batter into prepared cupcake tray, about 2 tablespoons of batter per cupcake.

6. Bake for 22-25 minutes, depending on the darkness of your baking pan. Cupcakes are done with a toothpick inserted into them removes cleanly.

7. Let cupcakes rest for 10 minutes before removing them from the warm baking tray. Let cool completely before frosting.

Frosting Instructions

1. In a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer, or a stand mixer, combine the butter of choice with the shortening. If desired, replace the shortening with an equal amount of cream cheese. Whip until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

2. Add the contents of the vanilla frosting mix. Add 1 tablespoon of milk. Whip again until the frosting is light and fluffy.

3. Transfer to a piping bag and frost cupcakes.

4. If making green grass frosting for bunny cupcakes: Add 1/2 tsp ground matcha powder, or other green food coloring of choice, to the frosting and mix well. Transfer frosting to a piping bag fitted with a piping tip for grass (suggested: grass frosting tip from Baking Box or Wilton 233). Frost cupcakes and top with bunny candy.

Bunny Candy Instructions

1. Mix the chocolate and oil in a microwave safe bowl or in a double boiler on the stove. Let it melt, making sure to remove from the heat just before fully melted. The residual heat of the chocolate will melt the final chips so just keep mixing!

2. Carefully pour into the ungreased and dry candy mold. Let harden for 45 minutes in the fridge. Remove and top your cake or cupcakes with them.

Be sure to check out other Springtime recipes like Blackberry Frosted Cupcakes, Lemon Cake, or Cake Pops here!

Thank you Laura for sharing this delicious recipe! Go check out her blog Living BeyondAllergies and give her a follow on social media too!