Pumpkin Carrot Cupcakes (or Cake) with Cream Cheese Frosting

Pumpkin carrot cupcakes with cream cheese frosting will be the highlight of anyone’s lunchbox, and no one will bother that they’ve chock full of nutritious ingredients, too!

Originally published November 17th, 2012. 

Like most kids nowadays, my daughter is spread too thin. (I really want to put “thinly” there! Any grammar geeks to tell me the right way?) 😂

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Something sweet can still be nutritious: enter Pumpkin Carrot Cupcakes!

Between school, homework, mock trial, homework, swimming, homework and, well–you get the picture. I don’t like it one bit, because I know it affects her health.

The stress of trying to keep up her grades, and getting everything done to meet deadlines is just too much to put onto the shoulders of a teenager. Add to that an attempt to get a decent amount of sleep (this one’s almost a joke); it’s simply overwhelming.

There’s not much a parent can do to help except make sure their child is eating properly. So I feel good when I can make her a treat that’s also giving her some added veggies and vitamins.

Potato Pumpkin Gnocchi with Butter Sage Sauce

These pumpkin carrot cupcakes are full of Vitamin A with almost 4 cups of pumpkin and fresh carrots!

Let’s talk about shredded coconut

If you do add the coconut, make sure to always check the ingredients, because the most popular US brand (I’m sure you can figure out which one) of shredded coconut contains propylene glycol.Let’s talk about shredded coconut

I read that we should avoid it in personal care items because it alters the structure of the skin (yikes). Yet they’re putting it in our coconut? I love Lets Do…Organics brand. Moreover, not only does this coconut not have any added sugar or preservatives, but it actually tastes like coconut.

Snow Cookies

Anyway, I digress–back to the cupcakes, (or could these actually be called muffins?)–the best thing about these is that they are very light, and taste delicious!  If you decide to add even more goodness to these lovely little cakes, you can toss in one cup (about 6 oz) of raisins, cranberries and/or nuts.

You can also use this recipe to make two round cakes, but make sure to adjust the baking time as it will be longer than 30 minutes. Here’s my post on how to prepare and cook pumpkin.

Pumpkin Carrot Cupcakes
with Cream Cheese Frosting

Makes 2 dozen cupcakes or 2, 8″ round cakes.

Recipe by Christina Conte inspired by this Pineapple Carrot Cake         FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW

Ingredients

• 285 g (2 cups) flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 4 eggs
• 185 g (1 cup) sugar
• 60 g (½ cup) brown sugar
• 115 ml (½ cup) melted butter
• 115 ml (½ cup) light olive oil
• 200 g (2 cups) grated carrots
• 340 g (1 ½ cups) canned, or cooked pumpkin
• 70 g (1 cup)  shredded coconut (organic is best, propylene glycol free)

Make the Pumpkin Carrot Cupcake Batter

 Sift the first 5 (dry) ingredients into a bowl and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs and sugars for about two minutes, then add the oil and butter, and mix well. Next, add the grated carrots, pumpkin and coconut and mix until combined.

Now add the sifted dry ingredients and stir until well mixed.

Put paper cupcake liners in a pan, then fill with batter about 2/3 full.

Bake at 350º F (175º C) about 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.

Place on cooling rack. Meanwhile, make the icing.

Make the Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

• cream cheese
• butter, at room temperature
• vanilla
• powdered (confectioner’s) sugar

Beat cream cheese and butter, then beat in the vanilla and powdered sugar until smooth.

Decorate and Serve!

Pipe or spread onto cupcakes, as desired.

These freeze well, but I would advise freezing the cupcakes plain, and keep the icing in the refrigerator until ready to use. You can serve them on a cake platter if you like.

Finally, take a big bite!

Love orange? Then try this orange cream cheese frosting recipe, instead of the plain icing.

Continue to Content

Pumpkin Carrot Cupcakes (or Cake) with Cream Cheese Frosting

Yield: 24

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Bake Time: 20 minutes

Additional Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Full of pumpkin and carrot, you'll get some of your daily supply of vitamin A with these beauties!

Print

Ingredients

Cupcakes

• 2 cups (285g) flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup (185 g) sugar
• ½ cup (60 g) brown sugar
• ½ cup (115 g) melted butter
• ½ cup (115 g) light olive oil
• 2 cups (200 g) grated carrots
• 1 ½ cups (340 g) canned, or cooked pumpkin
• 1 cup (70g) shredded coconut (organic is best, propylene glycol free)

Frosting

• 8 oz (200 g) cream cheese, at room temperature
• 4 oz (100 g) butter, at room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 lb powdered (confectioner’s) sugar

Instructions

Cupcakes:

1. Sift the first 5 (dry) ingredients into a bowl and set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs and sugar for about 2 minutes, then add the oil and butter, and mix well. Next, add the grated carrots, pumpkin and coconut and mix until combined.
3. Now add the sifted ingredients and stir until mixed well.
4. Put paper cupcake liners in a pan, then fill with batter about 2/3 full.
5. Bake at 350º F (175º C) about 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
6. Place on cooling rack; meanwhile, make the icing.

Frosting

1. Beat cream cheese and butter; then beat in the vanilla and powdered sugar until smooth.
2. Pipe or spread onto cupcakes, as desired.

Notes

Omit the frosting for a healthier cupcake/muffin.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 24 Serving Size: 1 cupcake
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 423Total Fat: 14gCarbohydrates: 50gProtein: 5g

Nutrition information is only estimated.

Did you make this recipe?

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