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Chai Carrot Cupcakes with Spiced Maple Frosting are flavored with the spices of a cup of chai! Moist carrot cupcakes are loaded with warm spices, grated carrots, pumpkin seeds and walnuts. The frosting is delicious and buttery, filled with maple syrup and topped with cinnamon. These cupcakes are super easy to make and are perfect for Easter or served with Brown Butter Scallops with Butternut Squash Risotto.
I ADORE carrot cake and chai. Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting, this Mini Carrot Cake with Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting, or Chai Tiramisu are simply perfect for any holiday gathering or whenever you are craving a cozy treat.
Ingredients You’ll Need for Chai Carrot Cupcakes with Spiced Maple Frosting
- Dry ingredients – Aside from the usual flour, baking soda and salt, the dry mix is combined with warm spices like ground cinnamon, ginger, cloves and black pepper to really make these cupcakes taste like carrot cake and chai spice.
- Butter and vegetable oil – You really want to use a combination of butter and vegetable oil. Using all butter(although delicious) will make the cupcakes denser than we’d like and they won’t be as moist.
- Carrots – Use freshly grated carrots not the pre-shredded kind. You’ll get a stronger carrot flavor and the extra moisture will keep the cupcakes moist and light.
For the rest of the ingredients, please refer to the recipe index card below!
How To Make Chai Carrot Cupcakes with Spiced Maple Frosting
- Make the cupcakes – Whisk together the dry ingredients in a medium bowl then set aside. In the bowl of a stand up mixer beat together butter and sugar until fluffy, then pour in oil and eggs. Alternate adding buttermilk and the dry ingredients to the butter mixture until combined. Fold in the carrots, pumpkin seeds and walnuts.
- Bake – Divide batter between a prepared muffin pan. Bake for 20 – 25 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Allow cupcakes to cool for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Make the frosting – In the bowl of a stand-up mixer beat powdered sugar, vanilla extract, salt and heavy cream together until light and fluffy.
- Decorate – Grab a cake knife to spread the frosting on each cupcake or transfer it to a piping bag. Finish with a dusting of ground cinnamon then serve.
Tips and Tricks
- Use a cookie scoop to fill the muffin tins with cupcake batter. It’s makes filling each one easier with less mess.
- Work in batches – Baking both batches cupcakes at the same time results in the cupcakes steaming in the oven and having a weird texture.
- Turn it into a cake – Divide the batter between 2(8-inch) cake pans. Bake for 25 – 35 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
- It freezes really well! Keep cupcakes tightly wrapped in plastic wrap stored in a freezer safe bag. When you are ready to eat, allow to thaw in the fridge.
Recipe FAQs
Using a combination of butter and oil really helps to keep your carrot cupcakes moist. Butter alone will make your cupcakes dense but when mixed with oil keeps them moist and light.
Absolutely! Divide the batter between two 8-inch cake pans then bake for 25 – 35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean in the middle.
Yes, I like to include them for a little bit of crunch and texture but it’s fine to leave them out. You can even swap them out for golden raisins or chopped pecans.
More Fall Recipes
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2(12-cavity) cupcake tins
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1 medium bowl
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1 Stand-up Mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and the whisk attachment
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Piping bag fitted with a star tip for frosting
To Make the Cake:
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two (12-cavity) cupcake tins. I used cooking spray. You can also line them with cupcake liners.
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In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, black pepper, cloves and salt. Set the dry mixture aside.
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In the bowl of a stand-up mixer, with the paddle attachment, add the butter, white sugar and brown sugar; beat until nice and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Pour in the oil and eggs. Beat until combined.
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Alternating between the buttermilk and the dry mix, add them to the butter mixture, until just combined. Lastly, add the carrots and walnuts and mix until thoroughly distributed throughout the batter.
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To fill up the cupcake tin, I used a cookie scoop to make it easy on myself. Fill each cupcake tin about half way. I baked these in batches because doing two at the same time didn’t end well for me. Transfer the first cupcake tin to the oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Repeat with the second batch of batter.
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Allow them to cool in the pan for about 5 minutes and then transfer them to a cooling rack to cool before adding the frosting.
To Make the Frosting:
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To the bowl of a stand-up mixer, sift in the powdered sugar, add the vanilla extract, salt and heavy cream. Beat the frosting for about 3 minutes. The fluffiness from the heavy cream really lightens up this frosting so be sure to beat it for the full 3 minutes. If the frosting is too loose, feel free to transfer it to the fridge to chill for about 10 minutes. Then beat it one last time.
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Decorate the cupcakes however you like! Garnish with sifted cinnamon.
Tips and Tricks
- Use a cookie scoop to fill the muffin tins with cupcake batter. It’s makes filling each one easier with less mess.
- Work in batches – Baking both batches cupcakes at the same time results in the cupcakes steaming in the oven and having a weird texture.
- Turn it into a cake – Divide the batter between 2(8-inch) cake pans. Bake for 25 – 35 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
- It freezes really well! Keep cupcakes tightly wrapped in plastic wrap stored in a freezer safe bag. When you are ready to eat, allow to thaw in the fridge.
Calories: 389kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 63mg | Sodium: 219mg | Potassium: 133mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 39g | Vitamin A: 2754IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 40mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
