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Mini carrot cakes with cream cheese frosting and fondant carrots served on a plate.

Mini Carrot Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

How to make delicious Mini Carrot Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting for a bunny themed party!

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 2 dozen standard-sized cupcakes
Author: Recipe adapted from These Peas are Hollow

Ingredients

Carrot Cupcakes

  • 250 g – 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • ½ tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • 400 g – 2 cups sugar
  • 300 ml – 1 ¼ cups vegetable oil
  • 4 large eggs – at room temperature
  • 390 g – 3 cups grated carrots

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 450 g – 16 oz full-fat cream cheese – softened
  • 115 g – ½ cup unsalted butter – at room temperature
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 300 g – 2 ½ cups icing sugar (confectioners’ sugar)
  • 1 pinch salt

Fondant Carrot Toppers

  • orange fondant
  • green fondant
  • water

Instructions

Carrot Cupcakes

  1. Put the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger into a large bowl and whisk to combine.
  2. In another bowl, whisk the oil and sugar until well combined. Add the eggs one at a time, whisking well after each addition.
  3. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Add the grated carrots and gently mix with a wooden spoon until just combined.
  4. Line a muffin tin with paper liners and spoon the mixture into them, filling each cup about ¾ full.
  5. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C – 355°F for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Fondant Carrot Toppers

  1. Shape small, rounded triangles with the orange fondant to resemble carrots.

    Note: Use a knife to make small indentations along each carrot for a more realistic look.

  2. Use a toothpick to make a small hole at the wider end of each carrot, then attach a small piece of green fondant using a little water to resemble leaves.
  3. Let the toppers dry for a few minutes, then store them in an airtight container until ready to use.

Cream Cheese Frosting

  1. In a stand mixer, combine the cream cheese and butter and beat on medium-high speed until smooth. Add the vanilla and salt and mix until incorporated.
  2. Gradually add the icing sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes.
  3. Pipe onto the cooled cupcakes and decorate with the fondant carrot toppers.

Recipe Notes

  • I made half the recipe and got 34 mini cupcakes, each about 3.5 cm – 1 ¼ inch in diameter.
  • The cupcakes were made in advance and frozen. They were thawed at room temperature on the day of serving, then frosted just before serving.
  • Use full-fat cream cheese for the frosting. Reduced-fat versions make the frosting too soft and difficult to pipe.