These Gluten-Free Carrot Cake Cupcakes With Coconut Flour are tender, light, moist, and perfectly spicy-sweet!
I told you it was carrot cake month!
Internet friends, why do we only put vegetables in dessert at Easter time? Why don’t we eat carrot cake all year long? Does the Easter Bunny have some kind of monopoly on the carrot cake market that we just don’t know about? Inquiring minds want to know.
They also want to know who invented cream cheese frosting and then decided that it would taste amazing with a cake that had carrots in it. Because that person seriously deserves a medal. I cannot even think of a more perfect combination. Honestly.
If you’re someone who gets excited by the idea of spending lots of time in the kitchen decorating a vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free carrot cake for people to ooh and ahh over after Easter dinner, then you’re going to be very, very excited about this gluten-free carrot cake cupcake recipe.
These cupcakes require very little baking time and do not require you to watch multiple hours of cake-decorating tutorials on YouTube. I mean, you totally can still do that if you want; I’m just telling you that you don’t have to. Throw some frosting down into a piping bag (or a zip-top bag with a hole cut off the end if you’re really in a rush) and pipe a little frosting with a flick of the wrist.
Boom. Cute little carrot cake cupcakes that everyone will ooh and ahh over anyway because they’re cake—and people always dig cake.
Are These Gluten-Free Carrot Cake Cupcakes With Coconut Flour Healthy?
Do these carrot cake muffins contain some healthy ingredients? Yes. Are they really, though, more of a treat? Also yes.
Coconut flour is high in fiber and gentler on our blood sugar levels, making it a healthier option than all-purpose flour. Carrots are also packed with beta-carotene, which our bodies convert to vitamin A for vision and immune support. The rest of the main ingredients, however, contain generous amounts of sugar and fat. For that reason, I recommend enjoying these treats in moderation.
Baking With Coconut Flour: What To Know
Baking with coconut flour differs from baking with all-purpose flour. To start, it has a very high absorbency. This means you’ll need to add more liquid to your batter and let it stand for a few minutes to fully absorb. Your cake will be slightly denser than it would be with all-purpose flour. Coconut flour also doesn’t form gluten like regular flour does, which means you’ll need additional binding agents in your recipe—usually eggs. And, finally, coconut flour imparts a delicate coconutty flavor to whatever you bake it in.
That said, don’t let these things deter you. With the right recipe and techniques, coconut flour can yield moist, tender cupcakes that are delicious and satisfying.
How Do I Store Leftovers?
Keep any leftover cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator, where they’ll stay fresh for up to 5 days. Before serving, let them sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes to soften the frosting. You can also freeze the unfrosted cupcakes for up to 3 months.
Serving Suggestions
It’s carrot cake month… remember? Go all out on this theme with a batch of Carrot Cake Oatmeal, Gluten-Free Carrot Cake Truffles, and Carrot Cake Cookies.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup coconut flour sifted, 45 grams
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 large eggs at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil melted
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup coconut sugar packed
- 1 1/4 cups grated carrots
For The Frosting:
- 4 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese softened
- 1/4 cup butter softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup powdered sugar sifted
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a muffin tin with 6 muffin liners. Set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the sifted coconut flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt until well combined. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, using an electric hand mixer, beat together the eggs, coconut oil, vanilla extract, and coconut sugar until light and fluffy.
- Stir in the coconut flour mixture, mixing well to ensure there are no lumps.
- Stir in the grated carrots until all the carrots are mixed in and coated in the batter.
- Pour the batter into the prepared muffin tins and let stand 10 minutes before baking.
- Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let cool completely before frosting.
- In a large bowl, beat together the softened cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy (about 5 minutes).
- Beat in the vanilla until well combined.
- Turn the mixer down to low and gradually beat in the powdered sugar.
- Turn the speed back up and beat for an additional 2-3 minutes, until light and fluffy.
- Spoon the icing into a parchment bag (or a zip-top bag with the bottom corner cut off) and swirl the icing on top of each cupcake.
Nutrition Info:
Nutrition information are estimates only and may vary based on the specific brands, ingredients, and portion sizes you use. This data is provided for informational purposes only.
Are you able to substitute another sweetener for the coconut sugar?
Hi there! Absolutely, you can substitute the coconut sugar with another sweetener in this recipe. A suitable alternative would be brown sugar – you can use the same measurement (3/4 cup packed) as directed for the coconut sugar. Brown sugar will provide a similar texture and taste, but keep in mind that it may change the nutrition profile slightly.
Another option is using a natural granulated sweetener like Swerve or Stevia in the Raw. If using these sweeteners, do note that their level of sweetness might be different, so taste test and adjust accordingly to achieve the desired sweetness.
I hope this helps and happy baking!
These were absolutely delicious!! I haven’t had such a yummy dessert in quite awhile because I’ve been off sugar for a few years. I’ve tried lots of different gluten free flours. Coconut is one of my favorites! It went well with the carrot cake flavors. I used powdered monk fruit sweetener for the frosting. Mmmmmm
I agree Tracy, they are better than the ones with regular sugar 🙂 Thanks for your lovely message!
Why are these high in carbs? Crushed pineapple is mentioned in the description of the cupcakes but is not listed in the ingredients
Hi Ann, the carbs mostly come from the powdered sugar. You can try monk fruit sweetener or erythritol powdered to reduce the carbs.
This worked exactly as written, thanks!