Easter Cupcakes
(Carrot Cupcakes with Easter Eggs)
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 make the perfect Easter cupcakes for kids and adults. A surprisingly simple and easy 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.
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 (pin)
- 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.
Quick video
Step by step instructions (pin)
For the cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 160 C / 320 F.
- Line the muffin tin with cupcake wrappers.
- Combine baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt to the flour and combine well.
- Place egg and sugar in a mixer bowl and whisk until light and foamy.
- Add sour cream, vanilla, and oil - and continue to whisk.
- Next, add in the flour mix.
- Followed by the carrots, nuts, and raisins.
- Divide batter evenly into the 12 muffin cups.
- Bake on the center rack for about 20 to 22 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool completely before decorating.
For the buttercream
- Cream butter, whipping cream, salt, and vanilla for a minute.
- Then add powdered sugar, one cup at a time.
- Once all the sugar is in whip the buttercream for two minutes until light and fluffy.
- If necessary add a few tablespoons of whipping cream or milk.
- Note - For the grass, you will need a stiff buttercream so avoid adding too much milk.
Pipe grass or nest
- Add green gel color for the grass but keep the frosting stiff consistency.
- Place frosting in a piping bag with a grass piping tip.
- Pipe grass - chill in the fridge so the icing will hold its shape then place Easter eggs.
- For the chocolate nest - just combine melted chocolate to the frosting.
- Place in a piping bag and pipe the swirl.
- Finally, place eggs as decoration.
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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Easter Egg Cupcakes or Easter Cupcakes
Print Pin RateDescription
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 tbsp Cornstarch
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp Whipping cream
FOR DECORATING
- 2 drops Green gel food color for grass
- 4 oz (110 g) Melted chocolate for chocolate nest
Instructions
FOR THE CUPCAKES
- Preheat oven to 160 C / 320 F.
- Line the muffin tin with cupcake wrappers.
- Combine baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt to the flour and combine well.
- Place egg and sugar in a mixer bowl and whisk until light and foamy.
- Add sour cream, vanilla, and oil – and continue to whisk.
- Next, add in the flour mix.
- Followed by the carrots, nuts, and raisins.
- Divide batter evenly into the 12 muffin cups.
- Bake on the center rack for about 20 to 22 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool completely before decorating.
FOR THE BUTTERCREAM
- Cream butter, whipping cream, salt, and vanilla for a minute.
- Then add powdered sugar one cup at a time.
- Once all the sugar is in whip the buttercream for two minutes until light and fluffy.
- If necessary add a few tablespoons of whipping cream or milk.
- Note – For the grass, you will need a stiff buttercream so avoid adding too much milk.
PIPE GRASS OR NEST
- Add green gel color for the grass but keep the frosting stiff consistency.
- Place frosting in a piping bag with a grass piping tip.
- Pipe grass – chill in the fridge so the icing will hold its shape then place Easter eggs.
- For the chocolate nest – just combine melted chocolate to the frosting.
- Place in a piping bag and pipe the swirl.
- Finally, place eggs as decoration.
Equipment
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
Easter Collaboration
This is also my monthly collaboration with my #foodbloggenius girls. And this month's theme is Easter. So each one of us has come up with some amazing Easter recipes to try. Check these out!!
- Easy No-Bake Chocolate Coconut Nest by Gloria of Homemade & Yummy.
- Cadbury Creme Egg Cupcakes by Arlene of Flour on my Face.
- Gluten-Free Chocolate Cookie Dough Eggs by Sarah of The Fit Cookie.
- Russian Egg and Onion Ham Pies by Julia of Imagelicious.
- And of course, my Easter Egg Cupcakes.
