Home » Recipes » Easter

Gluten-Free Carrot Cake Cupcakes

ByGeorgina Hartley Published on

This post contains affiliate links. Please read my disclosures.

Jump to Recipe Jump to Video

These Gluten-Free Carrot Cake Cupcakes are very quick and easy to make. They are perfectly moist, light and fluffy and decorated with my go-to cream cheese buttercream and frosted candied carrots. They are made with a simple gluten-free flour blend (just 2 flours needed!) and no xanthan gum.

Decorated Carrot Cake Cupcakes on a plate.
Jump to:

If you have had your fair share of dry lifeless gluten-free cupcakes in your time then rest assured these Gluten -Free Carrot Cupcakes have so much personality and are the perfect moist light and fluffy texture (no dry crumbly sponge in sight!!).

There is no way anybody would guess they were gluten-free, and you’ll feel incredibly smug if you are serving them to a crowd of naysayers (I know you’ve met them before ‘It’s good, for gluten-free’ is the type of annoying thing they say). Well not to worry here as you don’t even need to tell them. 

Plus there’s no xanthan gum so if you have anyone who is intolerant to gums then you’ll love this recipe.

These cupcakes are deliciously moist, light and fluffy and are crowned with a gorgeous cloud of velvety cream cheese frosting and a sprinkle of candied carrots for a sweet crunchy texture.

No special equipment is required. I’ll guide you through the very quick and simple steps, how to achieve our perfect gluten-free flour blend (which only needs 2 flours!!), what cupcake liners and what baking tin to use. Plus how to achieve the perfect sparkly carrot cake decorations.

So, if you are looking for a gorgeous cupcake treat then let’s get baking!!

Carrot Cake Cupcake with bite taken out. Light and fluffy inside.

Why You’ll Love These Gluten Free Carrot Cake Cupcakes

  • Moist cupcakes. Gorgeous moist texture thanks to an extra egg added into the batter which is lovely in a gluten-free baking recipe as it just adds a little more richness.
  • Perfectly balanced spice blend. These cupcakes use a homemade ground mixed spice blend a some extra cinnamon for the ideal flavour backdrop.
  • Texture. It’s all about the flour blend. We just need buckwheat flour and almond flour to give a really stable light and fluffy texture.
  • So simple to make. These cupcakes just need a couple of mixing bowls and about 15 minutes to mix up the batter. It’s quick and easy.
  • Easy cream cheese buttercream frosting. Cream cheese buttercream is a match made in heaven for a carrot cake. This particular recipe is my absolute go-to, it has minimal ingredients and takes no time to whip up.
  • You can customise! Carrot cake is ripe for all sorts of add ins. Here we have left the cupcakes plain but if I were to choose then a few crumbled walnuts added into the batter would be lovely (there are lots more ideas below).

Watch The Video

Sometimes it helps to see a visual of what I'm talking about. So watch the video for these cupcakes to see how easy it is to make your gluten free carrot cake cupcake recipe. 

Ingredients and Notes

carrot cake cupcake ingredients

Fresh carrots. The higher quality carrots you use in this recipe the better your cupcakes will taste. There really is a difference between the strong, slightly sweet and earthy carrots you can buy from the farmers’ market and the bland water carrots available from the supermarket. Obviously I recommend the former.

Light brown sugar. We use brown sugar here for its rich flavour. There is also a little more moisture involved than regular caster sugar so it helps to make the cake beautifully moist.

Orange zest. The bright citrus note lifts the cake and really enhances the carroty flavour.

Olive oil. In the past I have used melted butter to make my carrot cakes but here we use a light olive oil for two reasons. It is an easier ingredient to grab off the shelf but it is also lighter than butter so the cake is a little more fluffy. Make sure you use light olive oil which has a neutral taste. Absolutely not extra virgin olive oil which would be far too powerful in this instance. You could also use groundnut oil, vegetable oil or coconut oil.

Buckwheat flour. We choose this gluten-free flour for its hearty texture whilst its distinct nutty and earthy flavour is a great backdrop to carrot cakes. It doesn’t have the same binding power of gluten though so we need to blend it with other flours to ensure a balanced mix.

Almond flour (ground almonds). This recipe can be made with finely ground almond meal too. The almonds add stability and moistness to the cake. 

Eggs. This recipe uses medium size, about 60g each with shell (50g each without shell). These are often classified as large eggs in the US. I recommend weighing your eggs to ensure the correct amount.

Baking powder. A leaving agent which causes the cake to rise and become light and fluffy. Do check your baking powder is gluten-free before use.

Spices. These cupcakes use a mix of ground cinnamon and ground mixed spice (try this homemade mixed spice recipe) for a perfectly balanced flavour.

Salt. I like to use kosher salt in my baking as it has a round gentle flavour. Using salt in your baked goods lifts and sharpens all the other flavours.

Black pepper. The heat and spice of the black pepper is extremely subtle but it adds a special background note to the spice blend. For this carrot cake it’s all about layers of flavour.

Variations and Substitutions

Gluten-free flour. I don't recommend swapping the flours in this recipe for a gluten-free all purpose flour. Buckwheat flour and almond flour mixed together really do give the best results.

Buckwheat flour. You can swap for sorghum flour, brown rice flour or oat flour.

Almond flour. You can swap for chickpea flour or sunflower seed flour.

Diced dried fruit. A mix of 60g worth of sultanas, dried apricots or pineapple.

Chopped nuts. A mix of 60g worth of chopped nuts. Any would be delicious but particularly pecans or walnuts.

Seeds. You could add 60g worth of pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds to the cake mixture for added crunch.

Diced crystallised ginger. Add about 1 tablespoon diced ginger for a fiery kick. Check out my recipe for the best Homemade Crystallised Ginger.

More Gluten-Free Carrot Cake Recipes You’ll Love

Traditional Carrot Cake. If you want a full cake then these cupcakes are adapted from my incredibly popular Gluten-Free Carrot Cake recipe just in cupcake form. You'll love this original recipe which is the perfect layer cake for celebrations.

Golden Beetroot Carrot Cake. This delicious carrot cake also uses shreds of fresh golden beetroot for incredibly earthy flavour. It is also packed with sultanas, chopped pecans and shredded apple.

How to make Gluten-Free Carrot Cake Cupcakes

For full recipe instructions go to the recipe card at the end of this post.

  • Pre-heat oven to 180°C / 160°C fan assisted / gas mark 4 / 350°F.
  • Line a regular muffin tin with 12 large cupcake/muffin cases.
  • Rub the brown sugar with the orange zest in a large mixing bowl.
  • Add the oil, eggs and the vanilla extract.
  • Whisk the flours with the baking powder, spices and salt and pepper in a large bowl.
  • Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix to combine.
  • Finally add the shredded carrots.
  • Divide the cupcake batter between the 12 cupcake cases.
  • Bake for 30 minutes.
  • Remove the cupcakes from the baking tin and leave to cool on a wire rack before decorating.
Sugar with orange zest then having been rubbed in with fingertips.
Wet ingredients in a glass mixing bowl and being mixed up with beaters.
Dry ingredients in glass bowl and being mixed up.
Dry ingredients in mixing bowl with wet ingredients. Mixing together with beaters.
Shredded carrot in bowl with cake mixture. Having been mixed up with beaters.
Cupcake batter in liners ¾ full and after they have baked.

Expert Tips

Grating the carrot

I recommend using the grater attachment on your food processor or a julienne peeler so you can achieve perfectly grated carrots very quickly and easily.

However, don’t worry if you only have a box grater, hand grated carrot works just as well (just a bit more time consuming). Here are some tips for manual grating:

  • Use the widest setting of your grater and smoothly bring the peeled carrot down the grater in one movement. 
  • Lift the carrot off and bring it down the grater again. 
  • Continue until you have a nub of carrot left then discard it.
  • Rubbing the carrot up and down the grater damages the flesh of the carrot which causes it to succumb to watery clumps.
Decorated Carrot Cake Cupcakes on a plate.

More tips

  • Rubbing the brown sugar with the orange zest using your fingertips achieves two things. It encourages more of the oil from the orange to come out which leads to more fragrant cupcakes. It also helps to de-clump the sugar so it bakes more evenly.
  • Use an ice cream / cookie scoop for portioning out the batter into the cupcake cases which leads to a cleaner and more even distribution that using a spoon. 
  • Each cupcake case should be filled about ⅔ full. This mixture is enough for 12 cupcakes.
  • You can check to make sure your cupcakes are baked by inserting a wooden or metal skewer into the centre of one of the cakes. It should come out clean of any crumbs.
  • Remove the cakes immediately from the baking tin onto a wire rack so they stop cooking and can start cooling straightaway.
  • Cool the cupcakes completely before frosting with the cream cheese buttercream.

Cream Cheese Buttercream Ingredients

Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting ingredients

Icing sugar. (powdered sugar). Icing sugar is preferred over white sugar in buttercream because it dissolves more easily, resulting in a smoother and less grainy texture, while also contributing to the desired consistency and sweetness of the buttercream.

Butter. Unsalted butter is the best choice here as we want to add a specific amount of salt into the buttercream to get just the right flavour. Make sure it is at room temperature so it can mix easily into the icing sugar.

Vanilla extract. It’s especially important to use a good quality extract in a buttercream as it is such a key flavour, I like Nielsen Massey.

Salt. Essential for the buttercream to lift the flavours and mellow the sweetness. Use kosher salt if you can (you can buy from Amazon)

Cream cheese. I really recommend full fat for a better flavour and greater stability for the buttercream. If you are in the UK keep your cream cheese in the fridge until you need to use it.

How To Make Cream Cheese Buttercream

  • Beat the icing sugar and butter for 4-5 minutes until extremely light and fluffy.
  • Add the vanilla extract, salt and cream cheese.
  • Mix to combine.
  • Scoop the buttercream into a piping bag fitted with a large piping tip and have fun decorating your cupcakes.
Cream Cheese Buttercream in a piping bag and piped onto cupcakes

Buttercream Tips 

If you are using a stand mixer, before you mix the icing sugar and butter wrap a tea towel around the mixer so the icing sugar doesn’t escape and cause a sugar cloud around your kitchen. Begin the mixer on low then build up speed.

Make sure to keep scraping the sides of the bowl down so the butter and sugar evenly mix together.

Notes on cream cheese

  • Use full fat cream cheese if you can. The taste is far superior and I find it whips much better into the buttercream.
  • In the UK we can only buy cream cheese which has added water content. This is great for spreading on bagels but not so much for cream cheese buttercream as it means our buttercream can be a little unstable. 
  • Keep the cream cheese in the fridge until the very last second.
  • Mix the cream cheese until just incorporated in the buttercream, try not to overmix as it will become too warm.

Candied Carrots

Candied carrots on white muslin in front of decorated carrot cupcakes.

These Candied Carrots which I use to decorate all my carrot cakes not only look the business but also really add to the flavour and texture of the cupcakes. The sugary crunch of the carrots is a great contrast to the billowy buttercream and the flavour of the fresh sweetened carrots shine. They are also very easy to make.

I recommend you make them ahead of time (they can be made up to 2 weeks in advance and stored in an airtight container in a cool dark place) so they are all ready to add to your cupcakes on the day you make them. They benefit from drying out for a day during the process so it's worth bearing in mind.

The full recipe for the Candied Carrots is in the recipe card below. However, for even more tips, tricks and different ways you can use these carrot decorations then you can visit the full post here >>> Candied Carrot Recipe.

Decorated Carrot Cake Cupcakes on a plate. The one in front with bite taken out. Light and fluffy inside.

FAQs

What size cupcake liners do you need?

This recipe is for a standard sized cupcake and the liners measure 2 inches (5cm) at the base of of the liner and are about 1.25 inches (4cm) tall. I used these brown muffin cases.

What piping tip do you need?

These cupcakes were decorated using a 1M piping tip.

What is the right baking tin to use?

Use a standard muffin tin or cupcake tin. I recommend using an aluminium baking tin which gives more even baking results. The one used in testing this recipe is 24.46 x 33.02 x 3.18 cm.

Can you make the Carrot Cake Cupcakes dairy-free / vegan?

The cupcakes themselves are naturally dairy-free but they have only been tested with eggs so you would have to experiment for a vegan recipe. However, you can substitute the dairy in the buttercream if you have a favourite plant based butter which works well as a 1:1 swap and I have used vegan cream cheese before which worked out just fine.

Can you make the cupcakes in advance?

These cupcakes are very moist so actually I recommend making them and frosting them the day you serve them. However, the candied carrots can be made up to 2 weeks in advance.

What is the best way to store the cupcakes?

Store the frosted cupcakes in the fridge for up to 2 days but don’t place in an airtight container otherwise the liners will begin to peel from the sponge. Make sure the frosting completely covers the sponge so they don't dry out.

Can you freeze the cupcakes?

I recommend freezing the unfrosted cupcakes prior to decorating with the buttercream. Freeze the cupcakes on a baking tray overnight before transferring to an an airtight container or freezer bag. Don’t forget to label including the date. To enjoy, remove the cupcakes from the container then thaw at room temperature for 4 hours before decorating.

More Gluten-Free Recipes You’ll Love!

✨Have you tried this Gluten-Free Carrot Cake Cupcakes recipe? If you liked it, please leave a 5-star ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ rating on the recipe card and consider leaving a comment as well! I would love to hear about how your recipe turned out and your feedback also helps other readers✨

Want to save this recipe?

Enter your email below to get this recipe sent to your inbox plus get new recipes, baking tips, and updates.

Gluten-Free Carrot Cake Cupcakes

Georgina Hartley
These Gluten-Free Carrot Cake Cupcakes are very quick and easy to make with a mix of buckwheat flour and almond flour - no xanthan gum needed!
5 from 4 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Course Cake
Cuisine British
Servings 12 cupcakes
Calories 619 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

  • 200 g light brown sugar
  • 1 orange - zested
  • 160 ml light olive oil
  • 3 eggs - medium sized
  • ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 140 g buckwheat flour
  • 100 g almond flour - ground almonds
  • 1½ teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground mixed spice*
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 180 g grated carrot - 2-3 large carrots

Cream Cheese Buttercream

  • 250 g unsalted butter - room temperature
  • 300 g icing sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 180 g cream cheese - straight from the fridge

Candied Carrots

  • 125 ml water
  • 100 g caster sugar - + 2 tablespoons extra for coating

Instructions
 

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 180°C / 160°C fan assisted / gas mark 4 / 350°F and fill a 12-hole muffin tin with muffin liners.
  2. Whisk the sugar with the orange zest until fragrant.
  3. Add the olive oil, eggs and the vanilla extract.
  4. In a separate bowl whisk together the flours, baking powder, spices, salt and black pepper.
  5. Fold the flour into the wet ingredients one third at a time.
  6. Stir in the grated carrots until completely combined.
  7. Divide the batter evenly between the cupcake cases and bake for 30 minutes.
  8. Remove the cupcakes from the tin and allow to cool completely before decorating.

Cream Cheese Buttercream

  1. Cream the butter and icing sugar and mix for about 4-5 minutes until very light and fluffy.
  2. Add the salt and vanilla and mix again to combine.
  3. Finally add the cream cheese and mix until just combined.
  4. Fill a piping bag fitted with a piping tip with your buttercream and frost your cupcakes generously.

Candied Carrots

  1. Pour the water and sugar into a medium sized saucepan and bring to a boil. Then turn down to a simmer for 2 minutes.
  2. Add the carrot and leave to simmer for a further 5 minutes.
  3. Strain the carrots and pat dry.
  4. Place on a baking parchment lined tray and bake at 180°C/160 /gas 4 for 12 minutes.
  5. Turn off the oven, remove the carrots and toss them about a bit on the baking tray.
  6. Return the carrots to the bottom shelf of the turned off oven, leaving the door open, for about 4-6 hours (overnight if you can), so the carrots can dry out.
  7. Finally toss the carrots in the extra caster sugar and use to sprinkle over your frosted cupcakes.

Video

Notes

  • Eggs. The eggs used in this recipe are medium size, 60g with shell and 50g without shell. If you can't get hold of medium eggs I suggest you weigh the amount.
  • Gluten-free flour. I don't recommend swapping the flours in this recipe for a gluten-free all purpose flour. Buckwheat flour and almond flour mixed together really do give the best results.
  • Buckwheat flour. You can swap for sorghum flour, brown rice flour or oat flour.
  • Almond flour. You can swap for chickpea flour or sunflower seed flour.
  • Olive Oil. It’s important to use light olive oil, not extra virgin or regular olive oil as you want the flavour of the oil to be more or less neutral. You could also use refined coconut oil or groundnut oil.
  • Grated Carrots. I recommend using the grating attachment on your food processor or a julienne peeler for perfectly shredded carrots. You can do it by hand but it will be more time consuming.
  • Cream Cheese Buttercream. For the lightest buttercream the icing sugar and butter should be beaten together for at least 4-5 minutes on a medium-high setting.
  • The recipe given for the Candied Carrot is enough to decorate 2 full cakes (or 48 cupcakes) so there will be plenty leftover. It actually stores very well though in a cool dark place for a few weeks.

Making Ahead

These cupcakes are incredibly moist which is what makes them so delicious but because of that they are not great at making ahead as the liner tends to peel away from the cake. I do recommend making on the same day you are serving them.

Freezing

Freeze the unfrosted cupcakes on a baking tray overnight before transferring to an airtight container or freezer bag. Don’t forget to label including the date. When you are ready for them, remove the cupcakes from the container then thaw at room temperature for 4 hours before decorating.

How To Make Dairy-Free Carrot Cake Cupcakes

The cupcakes themselves are dairy-free so all you need to do is swap out your cream cheese buttercream for a dairy-free cream cheese and the butter for your favourite plant based alternative.

US customary measurements

These US measurements for the ingredients provided are based on a conversion calculator. This recipe was tested with metric measurements and I recommend using a digital scale to weigh ingredients for the most accurate results. READ MORE >>> Why you should always weigh vs measuring with cups 

Nutrition information

Please note that the nutrition information provided below is an estimate based on an online nutrition calculator. It will vary based on the specific ingredients you use. Please seek a professional nutritionist’s advice for further clarification.
The nutrition serving is for 1 cupcake with buttercream.

Nutrition

Calories: 619kcalCarbohydrates: 64gProtein: 6gFat: 40gSaturated Fat: 16gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 101mgSodium: 229mgPotassium: 252mgFiber: 3gSugar: 52gVitamin A: 3313IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 97mgIron: 1mg
Have you tried this recipe?Please leave a review and star rating which helps support From The Larder and allows me to keep sharing free recipes.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

10 Comments

    1. By just using ground almonds the results would not be the same as the original recipe. The cupcakes would be very dense.

      Reply

  3. 5 stars
    Hello Georgina,
    Your carrot cake muffin where a great hit. Although I wasn't able to master the icing on top (that's still a work in progress). I will make this recipe again. Only one question wasn't sure about adding your mixed spices. Has anyone mentioned that they can taste ground coriander in your spice mix ingredients. I did however add the ground cinnamon.

    Reply

    1. Yes the ground coriander gives depth and is a traditional addition to ground mixed spice. If you don't like the flavour then you did the right thing just adding the cinnamon if that's a flavour profile you prefer. A little nutmeg or ginger would be nice in that case too!

      Reply

  4. 5 stars
    I made these tonight, and my kids and I loved them. One of them said he didn't like carrot cake until tonight! The flavors were just absolutely on point. My only issue was that I used silicone muffin liners, and they stuck pretty badly.

    Reply

    1. That's interesting - I don't really use silicone liners so not sure how they will affect the recipe. I'm happy you enjoyed the cupcakes nevertheless.

      Reply

  5. 5 stars
    Perfection! What a brilliant recipe! They were fluffy, moist with an amazing crumb structure. They also smell wonderful!!! Thank you so much for helping me with my GF baking journey. Question though…. I saw you used 160 (ml) on the Light Olive Oil. I know you normally use (g) grams. I used ml for my cupcakes and they turned out great but I’m curious for future bakes.

    Reply

    1. Yes I did actually use grams in this recipe - in this case the ml works too. Thanks for spotting it!

      Reply