Carrot cake is a beloved classic, but these individual carrot cupcakes take it to a new level of delicious convenience! Perfectly moist, spiced, and packed with fresh carrots, they are a delightful treat for any occasion. What makes this recipe truly special is the luscious caramel cream frosting, a simple yet decadent topping made with a unique twist. It's the perfect way to enjoy a comforting, homemade dessert that feels both familiar and excitingly new. Let's get baking!
Carrot cupcakes with caramel cream
Ingredients for the Carrot Cupcake Batter
- 100 g carrots
- 1 large egg
- 30 g smetana (a type of sour cream)
- 100 g fine white sugar (caster sugar)
- 40 g vegetable oil
- 120 g all-purpose flour
- 2/3 teaspoon baking powder
- vanilla powder, to taste
- nutmeg, pumpkin pie spice
Ingredients for the Caramel Cream
- 100 g smetana (a type of sour cream), 26% fat or higher
- 100 g varenaya sgushenka (cooked condensed milk, similar to dulce de leche)
- dark chocolate
How to Make Carrot Cupcakes with Caramel Cream
You can prepare the cupcake batter by hand or mix it in a food processor, adding the ingredients to the bowl one by one. In this recipe, we’ll make the batter without any electric appliances. Whisk the smetana (a type of sour cream) with the chicken egg.
Whisking smetana with a chicken egg
Adding fine white sugar
Pouring refined vegetable oil without odor into the bowl
Add fine white sugar. Whisk the ingredients for a few minutes until the sugar crystals dissolve.
Pour refined, odorless vegetable oil into the bowl. Any neutral vegetable oil will work; you can also substitute it with melted butter or margarine if you prefer.
Grating peeled carrots on a coarse grater
Mixing all-purpose flour with baking powder and vanilla powder
Seasoning the batter
Grate the peeled carrots on a coarse grater. Add the grated carrots to the wet ingredients and mix.
In a separate bowl, combine the all-purpose flour with baking powder and vanilla powder. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix with a whisk or spoon.
Now, it’s time to spice the batter. Add half a teaspoon of dry pumpkin pie spice mix. Finely grate some nutmeg and add a pinch to the batter.
Pouring an equal amount of batter into paper liners
Pour an equal amount of batter into paper liners, filling them about 2/3 full. Place the paper liners into a metal muffin tin and set it on a baking sheet. The metal tin helps the cupcakes bake more evenly and prevents them from burning, which is especially important in a gas oven.
Baking for 18-20 minutes
Whipping varenaya sgushenka and high-fat smetana
Decorating the cooled cupcakes with caramel cream
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Place the baking sheet with the cupcakes into the preheated oven. Bake for 18-20 minutes. The baking time may vary depending on the size of the cupcakes and your oven’s characteristics, so it might differ slightly from the time specified in the recipe.
Remove the cupcakes from the oven and let them cool to room temperature. To make the cream, whip the varenaya sgushenka (cooked condensed milk, similar to dulce de leche) and high-fat smetana for a few minutes. Add vanilla extract if desired. Fit a piping bag with a decorative tip and transfer the finished cream into the bag.
Decorate the cooled cupcakes with the caramel cream. About 20-25 g of cream per cupcake is sufficient.
Refrigerate the carrot cupcakes with caramel cream before serving
Finely grate some dark chocolate, which will easily stick to the cream. Refrigerate the carrot cupcakes with caramel cream before serving.
And there you have it – beautiful and delicious carrot cupcakes with a silky caramel cream! These little treats are perfect for sharing with loved ones over a cup of tea or coffee. For an extra touch, you can sprinkle some toasted nuts on top along with the chocolate shavings. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. We hope you enjoy this delightful recipe and that it brings a little sweetness to your day. Happy baking!
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