Baking recipe · from the recipe book
Carrot Cupcakes with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting
Tender, moist cupcakes packed with sweet grated carrot, cinnamon and toasted walnuts, topped with a tangy orange-scented cream cheese frosting.

- Oven
- 1 hr 50 min · 35 min hands-on
- Makes 12 cupcakes
- Vegetarian
- 31–45 g carbs
- Sodium 600 mg or less
- 500 calories or less
Ingredients
- 4 medium240 gCarrotspeeled and finely grated
- 1½ cups190 gAll-purpose flour
- ½ cup packed120 gBrown sugarpacked
- ¼ cup50 gGranulated sugar
- 2 large100 gEggsroom temperature
- ½ cup100 gCanola oil
- ¼ cup (60 ml)60 gButtermilk, low-fatroom temperature
- ⅓ cup chopped45 gWalnutstoasted and chopped
- ¾ tsp4 gBaking powder
- ¾ tsp3 gBaking soda
- 1½ tsp4 gGround cinnamon
- ½ tsp1 gGround nutmeg
- ¼ tsp2 gSalt
- 2 tsp8 gVanilla extract
- ¾ cup170 gCream cheesesoftened
- 3 tbsp40 gUnsalted buttersoftened
- 1 cup110 gPowdered sugarsifted
- 1 tsp2 gLemon zest
- 2 tsp10 gOrange juice
Steps
- Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.
- Toast the walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes until fragrant, cool, then chop.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.
- In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, brown sugar and granulated sugar until smooth, then whisk in the canola oil, buttermilk and half of the vanilla.
- Stir the flour mixture into the egg mixture just until no dry streaks remain, then fold in the grated carrot and the walnuts.
- Divide the batter among the liners, about two-thirds full, and bake 20 to 22 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool the cupcakes in the pan for 5 minutes, then move them to a rack to cool completely, about 1 hour.
- For the frosting, beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth, then beat in the powdered sugar, the lemon zest, the orange juice and the remaining half of the vanilla until fluffy.
- Spread or pipe the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes and keep them refrigerated.
Food safety: Don't taste raw dough or batter: raw flour and raw eggs can carry germs.
Contains: Milk, Egg, Tree nuts, Gluten.
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Saved in the Every Helping recipe book on October 24, 2026.
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