These vegan carrot cake cupcakes are perfectly spiced and easy to bake, topped with tangy homemade cream cheese frosting and crushed walnuts. This easy dessert has everything you love about traditional carrot cake—made into cupcakes, minus the eggs and dairy!
I love my vegan carrot cake recipe, but sometimes you don’t need a whole cake. Sometimes, you want perfectly fluffy, deliciously frosted carrot cupcakes! You’re in luck. I’ve adapted my original carrot cake recipe into these moist, flavorful vegan carrot cake cupcakes. They’re a great addition to any party or Easter celebration, but you can totally make them for yourself and stash some in the freezer for whenever you have a craving. Speaking from experience! You’re going to love how easy these are to make.
About These Moist, Fluffy Vegan Carrot Cake Cupcakes
- Swap the eggs with applesauce. The cupcakes start with a dense, spiced carrot cake base. Because traditional carrot cake is always made with oil and tends to be denser than a vanilla cake or chocolate cake , you can easily make it vegan by swapping the eggs for applesauce!
- Dreamy homemade frosting. My carrot cupcakes are capped off with a swirl of homemade vegan cream cheese frosting , which you may recognize from my red velvet cupcakes . If you’re not concerned about appearances, you can spread the frosting on with an offset spatula instead of piping it, but trust me when I say you’re going to want a generous amount on each cupcake because it’s THAT good.
- Get them party-ready. Garnish each cupcake with toasted walnuts, or get creative and pipe a carrot onto the top! These make an excellent Easter dessert or holiday treat, especially if you’re expecting a crowd.
Notes on Ingredients
These carrot cupcakes use the same ingredients as my original vegan carrot cake recipe, adapted to bake in a cupcake pan instead. Please note that this is important information on the ingredients and instructions, and the FULL recipe with amounts and details can be found DOWN BELOW (scroll to it) in the recipe card.
- All-purpose flour – Sift the flour after measuring it. This removes any lumps that may find their way into the cake batter.
- Baking soda and baking powder – I use both for exceptionally fluffy, tall carrot cupcakes.
- Spices – Ground cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. If you’d like, you can replace these individual spices with pumpkin pie spice , which shares many of the same ingredients.
- Solid refined coconut oil – Make sure you measure the oil while it’s solid. If your kitchen is hot and the coconut oil has melted in the jar, pop it in the fridge for a bit.
- Brown sugar – Or granulated sugar.
- Unsweetened applesauce – Applesauce gives these vegan cupcakes structure in lieu of a flax egg or vegan egg replacer . I recommend unsweetened applesauce, so your cupcakes don’t come out overly sweet.
- Vanilla extract – Or equal parts vanilla paste.
- Finely grated carrots – You’ll need about 3 large carrots for this recipe. Grate the carrots using a box grater so it’s quick and easy.
- Chopped walnuts – Toast the nuts by placing them in a skillet over medium heat. Then, remove them from the pan when they’re fragrant and darkened. You can swap walnuts with pecans if you’d prefer, or skip the nuts and add raisins to make this recipe nut-free.
Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting
- Vegan cream cheese – This should be cold from the fridge.
- Vegan butter – This should be room temperature.
- Vanilla extract – Again, swap with vanilla paste if you’d like.
- Powdered sugar – Sift the powdered sugar to prevent lumps in your frosting.
How to Make Vegan Carrot Cupcakes
You can either make these all in one go, or break things up and make the cupcakes one day and frost them the next. It’s up to you! Here’s an overview of the recipe with step-by-step photos.
Mix the dry ingredients.
- Prepare. Preheat your oven to 350℉ and place cupcake liners into your muffin or cupcake pan.
- Mix the dry ingredients. Whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spices in a mixing bowl.
- Mix the wet ingredients. Place the coconut oil in a microwave-safe bowl and melt it in the microwave by heating in 15-second bursts. Then, pour the melted oil into a large mixing bowl, stir in the sugar, applesauce, and vanilla extract. Mix until combined, about 2-3 minutes.
Add the carrots, nuts, and dry ingredients.
- Finish the cupcake batter. Pour the flour mixture into the bowl with the wet mixture, then fold in the shredded carrots and nuts.
- Fill the cupcake pan. Working quickly, divide the batter between the 24 cupcake liners, filling them about two-thirds of the way full.
- Bake . Place the pan in the centre of the middle rack in your oven. Bake the cupcakes for 20-22 minutes. Remove the cupcakes from the oven and let them cool in the pans for about 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Frost the Cupcakes
Mix the frosting.
- Make the frosting . Start by beating the butter and cream cheese for about 2 minutes. Then, beat in the vanilla extract and salt, followed by the powdered sugar, one cup at a time. Once the first cup is incorporated, add the next, then another. When the frosting reaches your desired sweetness and consistency, stop there; otherwise, add more sugar.
- Refrigerate the frosting . Place the bowl of frosting in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes to allow it to thicken a bit.
- Frost the cupcakes . Use a piping bag or offset spatula to frost the cupcakes, then garnish with the toasted walnuts, if you’re using them.
Tips for Bakery-Style Cupcakes
- Perfect portioning. You can use an ice cream or cookie dough scoop to help make sure your cupcakes all have equal amounts of batter. This ensures they’ll all be done baking at the same time!
- Removing air bubbles. Gently tap the pan on the counter three times by lifting and tapping down slightly to remove any air bubbles from the batter before baking.
- Getting pipe-able frosting . If you plan on piping the frosting, you’ll need it to be nice and thick. I recommend using all 4 cups of powdered sugar for a stiffness that’s conducive to piping.
How to Store
- Refrigerate. Store your vegan carrot cupcakes in an airtight storage container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Let the cupcakes come to room temperature before serving.
- Freeze. Pre-freeze the frosted carrot cupcakes on a baking sheet, uncovered. As soon as the frosting is frozen solid, transfer the cupcakes to an airtight storage container or freezer bag. Freeze for up to 2 months, and thaw the cupcakes in the refrigerator before serving.
More Vegan Cupcake Recipes
- Vegan Pumpkin Cupcakes
- Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes
- Peppermint Swirl Cupcakes
- Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, sifted , 270g
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ tablespoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 cup solid refined coconut oil , 200g
- 1 ½ cups brown sugar , 300g
- 1 cup unsweetened applesauce , 250g
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 cups finely grated carrots , about 3 large carrots (288g)
- 1 cup chopped walnuts , toasted (112g)
For the vegan cream cheese frosting:
- 8 ounces vegan cream cheese , cold from the fridge
- ½ cup vegan butter , room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch salt
- ¼ cup cornstarch , sifted (32g)
- 2-3 cups powdered sugar , sifted (480g)
- 1 cup chopped walnuts , for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C. Line muffin cups with cupcake liners or foil bake cups.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and spices.
- Place the coconut oil in a microwave-safe bowl. Melt the oil in the microwave by heating in 15-second bursts, then stir in the sugar, applesauce and the vanilla extract until thoroughly combined, at least 2-3 minutes.
- Pour the flour mixture into the wet mixture, then fold in the shredded carrots, and nuts.
- Working quickly, divide the batter evenly between 24 cupcake liners (about ⅔ ‘s full). You can use an ice cream scoop to help! Tap the cupcake pan on the counter three times (lift and tap down slightly) to remove any excess air bubbles before baking.
- Place the pan in the middle rack of your oven and in the center of that rack. Bake for 20-22 minutes until fully cooked. Remove from the oven and let them cool in the pans for about 5 minutes, then remove onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- After cooled, frost with vegan cream cheese frosting and some walnuts. Enjoy!
To make the frosting and assemble:
- Beat the butter and cream cheese for about 2 minutes, or until fully incorporated. Beat in the vanilla extract and salt, followed by the sifted cornstarch and powdered sugar. Once the first cup is incorporated, add the next, then the next. If the frosting has reached your desired sweetness and consistency, stop there. If not, add the third cup of sugar. I usually add all 3 cups to reach a stiffness that I can pipe.
- Refrigerate the bowl of frosting for at least 15 minutes before using.
- Frost cupcakes and garnish with walnuts, and enjoyed! You can store them on the counter if you live in a cool climate/air conditioned home or in the fridge.
Notes
- Storage instructions: Store your vegan carrot cupcakes in an airtight storage container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Let the cupcakes come to room temperature before serving.
- Freezing instructions: Freeze carrot cupcakes by putting them on a baking sheet, uncovered, and placing them in the freezer. As soon as the frosting is frozen solid, transfer the cupcakes to an airtight storage container or freezer bag. Thaw the cupcakes in the refrigerator before serving.
Vegan Carrot Cupcakes
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, sifted 270g
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ tablespoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 cup solid refined coconut oil 200g
- 1 ½ cups brown sugar 300g
- 1 cup unsweetened applesauce 250g
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 cups finely grated carrots about 3 large carrots (288g)
- 1 cup chopped walnuts toasted (112g)
For the vegan cream cheese frosting:
- 8 ounces vegan cream cheese cold from the fridge
- ½ cup vegan butter room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch salt
- ¼ cup cornstarch sifted (32g)
- 2-3 cups powdered sugar sifted (480g)
- 1 cup chopped walnuts for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C. Line muffin cups with cupcake liners or foil bake cups.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and spices.
- Place the coconut oil in a microwave-safe bowl. Melt the oil in the microwave by heating in 15-second bursts, then stir in the sugar, applesauce and the vanilla extract until thoroughly combined, at least 2-3 minutes.
- Pour the flour mixture into the wet mixture, then fold in the shredded carrots, and nuts.
- Working quickly, divide the batter evenly between 24 cupcake liners (about ⅔ ‘s full). You can use an ice cream scoop to help! Tap the cupcake pan on the counter three times (lift and tap down slightly) to remove any excess air bubbles before baking.
- Place the pan in the middle rack of your oven and in the center of that rack. Bake for 20-22 minutes until fully cooked. Remove from the oven and let them cool in the pans for about 5 minutes, then remove onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- After cooled, frost with vegan cream cheese frosting and some walnuts. Enjoy!
To make the frosting and assemble:
- Beat the butter and cream cheese for about 2 minutes, or until fully incorporated. Beat in the vanilla extract and salt, followed by the sifted cornstarch and powdered sugar. Once the first cup is incorporated, add the next, then the next. If the frosting has reached your desired sweetness and consistency, stop there. If not, add the third cup of sugar. I usually add all 3 cups to reach a stiffness that I can pipe.
- Refrigerate the bowl of frosting for at least 15 minutes before using.
- Frost cupcakes and garnish with walnuts, and enjoyed! You can store them on the counter if you live in a cool climate/air conditioned home or in the fridge.
Notes
- Storage instructions: Store your vegan carrot cupcakes in an airtight storage container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Let the cupcakes come to room temperature before serving.
- Freezing instructions: Freeze carrot cupcakes by putting them on a baking sheet, uncovered, and placing them in the freezer. As soon as the frosting is frozen solid, transfer the cupcakes to an airtight storage container or freezer bag. Thaw the cupcakes in the refrigerator before serving.
Nutrition
Vegan Carrot Cupcakes https://jessicainthekitchen.com/vegan-carrot-cupcakes/ April 13, 2022
These soft and chewy vegan sugar cookie bars have all the fun and flavour of a traditional sugar cookie, without the rolling and cutting, or the dairy and eggs. They’re sweet, buttery, and topped with pretty pink frosting, or any colour of your choice!
I’m so excited about these vegan sugar cookie bars! Maybe it’s the pink frosting, or maybe it’s the chewy sugar cookie base. But I think the nostalgia factor is a big part of their appeal. As adults, we treat ourselves to high-end cookies like white chocolate macadamia nut and salted chocolate chip tahini cookies . Yet, who doesn’t have a soft spot for the classic sugar cookies we enjoyed as kids?
Reasons to Love These Vegan Sugar Cookie Bars
- Vegan sugar cookies in bar form. All the flavour of a traditional sugar cookie, minus the hassle of rolling and cutting out shapes!
- Perfect for celebrations. These easy-to-make, plant-based sugar cookie bars are always a hit at holiday parties, picnics, and potlucks.
- Make them your own. Customize these cookie bars with your favourite frosting and toppings. Sprinkles are the standard, but you can create a sugar cookie fruit pizza by layering on fresh fruit, or get out your piping bag and tips and get creative!
- Quick and easy. Best of all, these no chill vegan sugar cookie bars only require a few simple ingredients, and zero chilling time.
Notes on Ingredients
Please note that this is important information on the ingredients and instructions, and the FULL recipe with amounts and details can be found DOWN BELOW (scroll to it) in the recipe card.
- Vegan butter – Let this come to room temperature so it’s easy to incorporate into the other ingredients.
- White granulated sugar – You could also use light brown sugar.
- Pure Vanilla Extract – Any vanilla extract you have on hand is fine, but the Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla is my favourite!
- Vegan milk – I recommend an unflavoured variety.
- All-purpose flour – A cup-for-cup gluten-free all-purpose flour substitute can be used if you prefer.
- Baking powder and baking soda – You’ll need both, plus salt, to give these sugar cookie bars plenty of lift. Make sure to check the expiration dates on your leavening.
Vegan Frosting
- Powdered sugar – Make sure you sift this first so you don’t end up with lumpy frosting!
- Vegan butter – This butter will also need to be softened.
- Vegan milk – This can be almond milk, oat milk, coconut milk, or any dairy-free milk you’d like.
- Vanilla and sea salt – Omit the added salt if you’re using salted butter.
- Pink or red food colouring – Or whatever colour you like! See below.
The Best Way to Colour Frosting
I recommend using a gel or paste food colouring for the sugar cookie frosting. Both of these options are nice because they don’t add liquid to the frosting, which has the potential to change its texture. It’s important to note that gels and pastes have intense colour, so I usually dip a toothpick into them, then swirl that into the frosting. Stir to incorporate, then add more colouring if needed.
How to Make Vegan Sugar Cookie Bars
I recommend baking your cookie bars in an 8×8-inch baking pan lined with parchment paper (clip the sides to hold the paper in place). Here are the steps to make these super easy, very delicious dairy-free sugar cookie bars with frosting:
Combine the wet ingredients.
- Mix the wet ingredients. While the oven preheats to 350ºF, cream the butter and sugar in a bowl. Then, beat in the vanilla extract and vegan milk.
- Mix the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt. Whisk to combine.
Combine the wet and dry ingredients.
- Combine the wet and dry ingredients. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Mix for about 2 minutes to incorporate, scraping down the bowl as needed.
Press the dough into the pan.
- Bake . Transfer the dough to a lined 8×8-inch pan and bake for 22 to 23 minutes. Let the bars cool completely before adding the frosting.
Frosting the Cookie Bars
Beat the frosting until smooth.
- Make the frosting. Beat the butter and vanilla for 2 to 3 minutes, until they’re fluffy. Fold in the powdered sugar with a rubber spatula, then beat for a minute. Beat in ¼ tablespoon of vegan milk at a time until the frosting reaches your desired volume and consistency. Add the food colouring, then beat for about 5 minutes, or until the frosting is fluffy, pink, smooth, and creamy.
Spread frosting over the cookie bars.
- Frost the bars. Make sure your sugar cookie bars are cooled completely before you frost them. Spread the frosting evenly over the bars, top with sprinkles, and enjoy.
More Ways to Decorate
I use a fluffy vegan buttercream for these sugar cookie bars, but you can certainly use icing or even cake frosting instead. If you’re using a frosting recipe meant for cakes, I recommend making half the amount or simply freezing the extra frosting for another day. Try my vegan chocolate frosting or vegan cream cheese frosting . You can also make vegan Christmas sugar cookie bars with white frosting and red and green sprinkles!
Tips for the Best Cookie Bars
- Don’t over-bake. The bars will be slightly under-baked when you pull them out of the oven, which is fine because they’ll continue baking from the residual heat of the pan. This is how you get that signature chewy sugar cookie base!
- Cutting clean bars . Use the parchment paper to lift the bars out of the pan and place them on a cutting board. From here, you can cut them into squares using a large chef’s knife. If the frosting seems too soft to cut cleanly, you can pop the bars in the refrigerator for a bit until it sets.
- Make it a sugar cookie cake . Want to make a vegan sugar cookie cake? You can bake this recipe in a round cookie cake pan; it will take less time to bake, so I recommend checking for doneness at the 15-minute mark.
- Add-in ideas. Add vegan chocolate chips to the cookie dough, or you can add chopped macadamia nuts, dried cranberries, or flavouring extracts like lemon or orange extract.
How to Store
- Refrigerate. Store the vegan frosted sugar cookie bars in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You can either wrap them in the baking pan or transfer them to an airtight container. If you need to stack the bars, place parchment paper between the layers to keep them from sticking together.
- Freeze. You can freeze these vegan sugar cookie bars for up to 3 months. Wrap them individually or place them in a freezer bag with parchment paper between the layers.
More Vegan Cookie Recipes
- Brownie Cookies
- S’mores Cookies
- Seven Layer Bars
- Maple Pecan Sugar Cookies
- Vegan Spritz Cookies
Ingredients
For the bars:
- ½ cup vegan butter , 112g, room temperature
- ½ cup white granulated sugar , 100g
- 1 teaspoon Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract
- 2 tablespoons vegan milk
- 1 ½ cups flour of choice regular all-purpose flour , 180g
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
For the frosting:
- 1 1/2 – 1 3/4 cups powdered sugar , sifted
- 1/2 cup vegan butter , softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 tablespoon vegan milk , add more if needed
- pinch sea salt , if using unsalted butter
- Few drops of pink or red food colouring
Instructions
For the bars:
- Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C. Line an 8×8 pan. Cream together the butter and sugar for about 3 minutes on medium low speed.
- Add in the vanilla extract and vegan milk and blend for another 30 seconds until incorporated.
- In a small separate bowl, sift together your flour, baking powder, baking soda and sea salt until thoroughly combined.
- Add in your flour mixture into the wet mix. Mix for about 2 mins to incorporate. Scrape down the bowl.
- Add to your lined 8×8 pan. Bake for 22-23 minutes. It’ll be slightly underbaked which is fine because it keeps cooking while it cools.
- Let it cool completely. Top it with buttercream frosting tinted with a little bit of pink or red food colouring. Top with sprinkles and enjoy!
For the frosting:
- Beat the butter and vanilla for about 2-3 minutes.
- Add in the sifted powdered sugar. Fold it in with a spatula so it doesn’t fly everywhere, then beat for about 1 minute. Add in a ¼ tablespoon of vegan milk at a time until it reaches your preferred volume and consistency.
- Add the food colouring, then beat for about 5 minutes, using the spatula to mix everything together every other minute, until the frosting is fluffy, pink, smooth and creamy.
