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Gluten-Free Carrot Cake Cupcakes — finished gluten-free recipe
Noah Reed

Gluten-Free Carrot Cake Cupcakes

Bake gluten-free carrot cake cupcakes with warm spices and cream cheese frosting. Includes carrot preparation, a lower oven setting and cooling tips.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 26 minutes
Servings: 12 cupcakes
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cupcakes
  • 150 g light brown sugar
  • 110 g neutral oil
  • 2 large eggs room temperature
  • 45 g full-fat plain or Greek yogurt room temperature
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 180 g plain gluten-free flour blend
  • 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp xanthan gum; omit if already in the blend
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 200 g peeled coarsely grated carrots, then roughly chopped
Cream cheese frosting
  • 175 g cold heavy cream
  • 90 g sifted powdered sugar
  • 170 g cold full-fat cream cheese
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • Chopped pecans or walnuts for optional decoration

Method
 

  1. Heat a conventional oven to 325°F / 160°C and line a 12-cup muffin pan. Whisk brown sugar, oil, eggs, yogurt and vanilla until combined.
  2. Combine flour, baking powder, xanthan, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg separately. Whisk into the wet ingredients until no dry clumps remain.
  3. Roughly chop the coarsely grated carrots so the strands are shorter, then fold into the batter. Divide between the liners, filling about three-quarters full.
  4. Bake 24–26 minutes, until lightly golden and a tester has no wet cake batter. Rest 5–10 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a rack and cool completely.
  5. Whip the cold cream and powdered sugar to soft peaks. Loosen the cream cheese in another bowl, then fold into the cream with vanilla. Whisk briefly only if needed to hold a soft peak.
  6. Pipe frosting onto the cold cupcakes. Add chopped nuts if using, and refrigerate until serving.

Notes

Rest in the pan 5–10 minutes, then cool completely before frosting.
Refrigerate in a closed container for 3–4 days.
Contains: Egg and milk; pecans or walnuts if used as decoration. Check the flour blend.
Use the specified flour and binder amounts. Check packaged ingredient labels and avoid gluten cross-contact.