Carrots and candy eggs give these cupcakes a fun Easter theme. An oil-based recipe with carrots, nuts, and raisins. Then, topped with candy eggs to make perfect Easter cupcakes for kids and adults. A surprisingly simple recipe with easy to find ingredients.
Easter is just around the corner so the kids are all excited about Easter eggs!! I asked Aadi:
- What cupcakes shall we make this year for Easter?
- He said: "obviously carrot cupcakes!!"
- So I asked him: "why is it obvious?"
- And he said: "when the Easter bunny comes he will need carrots to eat. So it's better if his carrot is in cupcakes. Seem like the perfect Easter celebration! Then he'll give us nice Easter candy too!"
- So I said: "Ah!! So we want good candy from the Easter bunny?"
- "Well, bunnies eat carrots so why not give him a treat. And make some extras so I can also give my friends!"
- Bahaha... Kids!!
And, since we were planning cupcakes for Easter - I thought why not also share with you my carrot cupcakes with a festive twist.
Table of Content
About these cupcakes
These do not get any easier than this and so festive too. The recipe for the cupcakes is fairly simple and easy. It's an oil-based recipe so it stays moist and enhances the flavor of the carrots with the nutmeg. If you like you can also add other spices like pumpkin spice or cinnamon.
The frosting is sweet because we need to keep it stiff. Grass won't stay if the frosting is soft or light and airy. The chocolate frosting is only to create a swirl for the nest. If you don't want chocolate just add brown gel food color.
The process for these festive cupcakes is very easy.
- Bake the cupcakes 25 mins
- Cool them completely - 2 hours
- Prepare the frosting - 10 minutes
- Pipe the frosting - 10 minutes
Ingredients and substitutes
- Oil - Yes, I use oil instead of butter and trust me, they do keep the cupcakes so moist!!
- Carrot - I like to grate my carrots on the thick side of the grater so they are not lost. And yet, if you prefer you can use the small side of the grate and grate them thinner.
- Spice - I do not add spice at this time for Easter. And yet, pumpkin spice, nutmeg or even cinnamon are a great addition.
- All-purpose flour - I know most online recipes prefer cake flour. And yet, I have bee using all-purpose flour in this very successfully. And the results are moist carrot cupcakes.
- Brown sugar - Oh, you must use brown sugar. It takes these cupcakes to the next level.
Video and step by step instructions
Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 320 °F / 165 °C/ Gas Mas 3
- Line the muffin pan with cupcake liners
- In a bowl, combine flour with baking powder, spices, and salt - set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment whip the whole eggs on medium for two minutes
Tip - it is important that the eggs are warm or at least room temperature so we can get maximum volume. - Gradually start adding sugar one tablespoon at a time whipping constantly on medium speed. Once all the sugar is in; turn the mixer to medium-high and whip until light and fluffy – ribbon stage
Tip - adding the sugar helps improve the emulsification properties giving us the maximum volume. - Slowly add the cooking oil and sour cream. Followed by the vanilla extract
Tip - add the oil slowly but don't overmix as we do not want the eggs to curdle. - Next, add in the flour mixture making sure you have no lumps. Continue to use the whisk but do not over whip at this time.
Tip - Don't overmix at this stage. We don't want to activate the gluten in our flour.
- Next, add the carrots, raisins, and nuts making sure not to overmix the batter.
- Divide the batter between 12 cupcake liners in a muffin pan.
- Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Keep in the pan for 5 to 7 minutes then cool on a cooling rack.
Tip - always cool cakes and cupcakes completely before decorating or the frosting will melt.
Buttercream
- Melt the chocolate and set aside to cool until barely warm (this is for the chocolate swirl nests)
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, salt, and vanilla extract for a minute until creamy.
- Next, add powdered sugar one cup at a time until light and fluffy. If necessary you can add a tablespoon or more of whipped cream for consistency.
Tip - If you want to pipe firm swirls I recommend not adding too much liquid. For the grass, you will need a stiff buttercream so avoid adding too much milk or cream - Divide the buttercream into two bowls. Add green gel food color for the grass and add cooled melted chocolate to the other
Tip - it is important that the green frosting for the grass is a stiff consistency otherwise it will not hold. If necessary add a tablespoon or two of powdered sugar
Frost the cupcakes
- Transfer the green frosting to a piping bag with a grass piping tip and pipe grass.
Tip - you can keep these cupcakes in the fridge for a few minutes if the icing is soft so the grass holds up better. - Transfer the chocolate buttercream to a piping bag with a star tip and pipe a generous swirl.
- Top each cupcake with three mini eggs.
Tip - It is best to put the eggs on the cupcakes once the forsting is chilled slightly so they don't sink in.
Frequently asked questions
These will keep at room temperature for about 2 days. If wrapped properly these will keep in the fridge for 4 to 5 days. You can even freeze the unfrosted cupcakes for a month. Thaw in the fridge for best results.
If you want to pipe the grass then I highly recommend the stiff buttercream frosting. but carrot and cream cheese are classic combinations so you can try my Classic Cream Cheese Frosting OR
No-Butter Cream Cheese Frosting. For more options, you can check out my list of over 30 plus buttercream frosting recipes.
You can use any Easter eggs you can find. In fact, if you can also use jelly beans as Easter Eggs. I sometimes use marzipan or rolled fondant shaped into eggs for my Easter cupcakes.
Of course, not!! I used my carrot cake recipe since Easter bunnies like carrots!! And yet, you can use any cupcakes recipe you like - try my one-bowl vanilla or chocolate cupcakes. And strawberries are in season now, so you can also go with my delicious strawberry cupcakes.
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Recipe
Easter Cupcakes
Print Pin RateDescription
Video
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 1 cup (125 g) All-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) Vegetable oil
- ¾ cup (165 g) Brown sugar
- 2 Eggs
- ½ tsp Baking powder
- ½ tsp Baking soda
- ¼ tsp Salt
- 2 tbsp Sour cream
- 1 cup (128 g) Carrots shredded
- ⅓ cup (39 g) Walnuts
- ⅓ cup (50 g) Raisins
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- ½ tsp Nutmeg freshly grated
Buttercream frosting
- 8 oz (226 g) Butter unsalted
- 4 cup (480 g) Powdered sugar
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp Whipping cream
- ¼ tsp Salt
Plus
- 2 drops Green gel food color for grass
- 4 oz (110 g) Melted chocolate for chocolate nest
Instructions
Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 320 °F / 165 °C/ Gas Mas 3
- Line the muffin pan with cupcake liners
- In a bowl, combine flour with baking powder, spices, and salt - set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment whip the whole eggs on medium for two minutesTip - it is important that the eggs are warm or at least room temperature so we can get maximum volume.
- Gradually start adding sugar one tablespoon at a time whipping constantly on medium speed. Once all the sugar is in; turn the mixer to medium-high and whip until light and fluffy – ribbon stageTip - adding the sugar helps improve the emulsification properties giving us the maximum volume.
- Slowly add the cooking oil and sour cream. Followed by the vanilla extract Tip - add the oil slowly but don't overmix as we do not want the eggs to curdle.
- Next, add in the flour mixture making sure you have no lumps. Continue to use the whisk but do not over whip at this time. Tip - Don't overmix at this stage. We don't want to activate the gluten in our flour.
- Next, add the carrots, raisins, and nuts making sure not to overmix the batter.
- Divide the batter between 12 cupcake liners in a muffin pan.
- Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Keep in the pan for 5 to 7 minutes then cool on a cooling rack.Tip - always cool cakes and cupcakes completely before decorating or the frosting will melt.
Buttercream
- Melt the chocolate and set aside to cool until barely warm (this is for the chocolate swirl nests)
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, salt, and vanilla extract for a minute until creamy.
- Next, add powdered sugar one cup at a time until light and fluffy. If necessary you can add a tablespoon or more of whipped cream for consistency.Tip - If you want to pipe firm swirls I recommend not adding too much liquid. For the grass, you will need a stiff buttercream so avoid adding too much milk or cream
- Divide the buttercream into two bowls. Add green gel food color for the grass and add cooled melted chocolate to the other Tip - it is important that the green frosting for the grass is a stiff consistency otherwise it will not hold. If necessary add a tablespoon or two of powdered sugar
Frost the cupcakes
- Transfer the green frosting to a piping bag with a grass piping tip and pipe grass. Tip - you can keep these cupcakes in the fridge for a few minutes if the icing is soft so the grass holds up better.
- Transfer the chocolate buttercream to a piping bag with a star tip and pipe a generous swirl.
- Top each cupcake with three mini eggs. Tip - It is best to put the eggs on the cupcakes once the forsting is chilled slightly so they don't sink in.
Nutrition Information
The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you
Elke
These are delicious Carrot cupcakes and the cream cheese frosting was to die for. Made these last week and they were the best. Thank you for sharing
Veena Azmanov
Than you Elke. Happy to hear you loved these cupcakes. Thank you so much for coming back to write this feedback. Appreciate it very much.
Molly Kumar
These look so cute and perfect for Easter. I love carrot cupcakes and these look so colorful n perfect using those green icing and eggs on top 🙂
Veena Azmanov
Thank you Molly.