Vegan Carrot Cake Cupcakes

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

These vegan carrot cake cupcakes are moist, tender, and perfectly spiced! They are topped with delicious vanilla buttercream frosting. You can make these cupcakes in one bowl and in under 30 minutes from start to finish. Enjoy sweet cinnamon spice carrot cupcakes this weekend.

a group of carrot cupcakes frosted sitting on the table

Originally a recipe from my aunt, I've converted our homemade carrot cake recipe into a vegan version to suit diets of all needs. Dairy-free, lactose free, and egg free, these cupcakes are the best!

Vegan. Made with vegan ingredients, so you can share it with individuals who are vegan and those with dairy and egg allergies.
One Bowl. These cupcakes can be made start to finish using one bowl. Save on mess and dishes - yes please!
E-A-S-Y. Simple ingredients from your pantry transform into delicious, darling carrot cupcakes.
No fancy equipment. All you need is a electric hand mixer to make this delicious carrot cake with cream cheese frosting. You can mix the cake batter with a whisk!
Super moist! The vegetable oil and carrots add extra moisture to the cake.

Ingredient Notes

All purpose flour
Brown Sugar - provides depth of flavor
Salt
Cinnamon - the perfect spice to accent these carrot cupcakes
Vegetable Oil - provides beautiful moisture
Baking Powder - helps with rise in the cupcakes
Aquafaba
Pure Vanilla Extract
Grated Carrot - I always grate them very finely to create the perfect texture. Carrots also provide moisture to these cupcakes.

*I use Pure Madagascar Vanilla Extract and Lavender Flower from Vanilla Blossom Flavours – you can use the code BBB2021 to receive 15% off of your order!Vanilla Blossom Flavours are a Canadian based company specializing in vanilla extracts, vanilla bean paste and a variety of spices. I absolutely love their products and will be a lifelong customer! We love using Vanilla Blossom Pure Madagascar Vanilla Extract for all of our bakes! Not only is the taste great, but the price point is better than any other pure vanilla extract I’ve seen.

Step By Step Instructions

Here's how to make vegan carrot cake cupcakes:

Begin by sifting together your flour, cinnamon, brown sugar and baking powder. Whisk together to combine.

Next, add in your vegetable oil, vanilla, aquafaba and grated carrots.

Stir until combined. Scoop into 12 cupcake liners - fill each ¾ full.

Bake for 18-20 minutes at 325 degrees or until a knife inserted into the centre comes out clean.

Allow them to cool completely and then frost!

Baking Tips

Baking Tip 1 - When grating your carrots, use the smallest shredding holes. This prevents us from biting into giant chunks of carrot in our cake!! I recommend not using pre-grated carrots. These carrots are too large and also too dry!

Baking Tip 2 - Don't over mix your batter. Over-mixing results in more gluten formation. Increased gluten means a more dense cupcake batter. This is the last thing you want!

Baking Tip 3 - Measure your flour correctly. It’s so important that you measure your flour correctly. NEVER use your measuring cup to scoop flour out of the flour bag. This causes excess flour to be packed down into the measuring cup and you’ll end up with way too much flour. Flour is drying, so your bake will end up dry. For the most accurate measurement, weigh your flour. Alternatively you can use a spoon to scoop flour into your measuring cup and then level off the top with a knife.

Baking Tip 4 - This sounds like a no brainer – of course. But leaving your cupcakes in the oven just a few minutes too long can cause your cupcakes to become dry. I like to set my oven timer for 1 minutes before the recipe recommends the cupcake will be done. This way I can watch through the oven door to check if they are complete. When you believe your cupcakes is done, insert a knife or toothpick into the centre. Your toothpick should have a few moist crumbs, but no cupcake batter.It’s also very helpful to use an oven thermometer. Ovens all run a little differently, and you would be surprised to see what the temperature inside your oven is compared to what it’s recording on the outside.

FAQ about making vegan carrot cake cupcakes

My batter is SO thick. Is this correct?

Yes! The batter will be very thick. If you're having difficulty pouring the batter, use a spoon to place the batter in the cupcake liners.

Can I add in nuts or raisins?

Of course. Raisins or nuts make the perfect addition. I recommend adding ½ cup.

Can I make these gluten free?

Absolutely. I recommend using Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1:1 Flour.

a person holding an unfrosted carrot cupcake

Frosting

For these cupcakes I frosted them using a Wilton 1M piping tip with my go-to American Buttercream Frosting recipe. Note this recipe is not vegan but I share modifications within the recipe to easily convert it to be vegan. american buttercream frosting.

Storing & Freezing

You should store these cupcakes at room temperature in an airtight container. Storing cupcakes in the fridge can dry them out more quickly and the cupcakes can acquire smells and tastes from other items in the fridge.

These vegan carrot cake cupcakes can be stored without the buttercream topping in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Other Cupcake Recipes To Try:

Homemade Chocolate Cupcakes

Decadent Peanut Butter Chocolate Cupcakes

Strawberry Filled Cupcakes

Did you try this vegan cupcake recipe? Make sure to leave me a star review below!