These Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting are a healthier version of a favorite dessert! They are made with whole grain flour and no refined sugar. You really CAN have a healthy cupcake with this recipe! 
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There are a million (maybe more!) carrot cake and carrot cake cupcake recipes on the Internet. You will have no trouble finding one if you look.
What there aren’t so many of are healthy carrot cake cupcake recipes . I know what you’re thinking, but having carrots in it doesn’t automatically qualify it as healthy. You know who you are. 😉
Most of the recipes for carrot cake cupcakes have the two main ingredients I prefer to avoid when baking as much as I can: white flour and refined sugar.
So I set out to make a healthier version of an old favorite. I used white whole wheat flour instead of regular old white and sweetened it with just a tinge of maple syrup.
These carrot cake cupcakes are definitely not overly sweet, but it works. Traditional cupcakes can be a bit much, so for me the sweetness level is perfect.
While I don’t usually shy away from fats, I decided not to use oil in these. My purpose was to keep the calorie count in check as I knew I was going to top my cupcake with cream cheese frosting. So unsweetened apple sauce stands in where the oil would be.
Even without the oil, these Carrot Cake Cupcakes are super moist. The texture is outstanding!
What about the cream cheese frosting?
You can’t have a carrot cake cupcake without cream cheese frosting. You just can’t. Don’t worry, I made the frosting healthier too! The maple-cinnamon cream cheese frosting I created for these cupcakes is amazing. Again I used maple syrup as my sweetener of choice and the result was fantastic.
Trust me, I love traditional cream cheese frosting with the 2+ cups of powdered sugar. I think that’s why I fell in love with carrot cake in the first place. But this maple syrup sweetened cream cheese frosting does the trick with a lot less sugar. Since creating this recipe, I used it for my Carrot Cake Baked Oats, too!
How many calories are in Carrot Cake Cupcakes?
Fair question. I looked at Food Network Magazines recipe for Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting and plugged in their ingredients to see the calorie count. It came to just about 500 calories for one frosted cupcake.
These healthier Carrot Cake Cupcakes are just 193 calories. BOOM.
This Carrot Cake Cupcake is one that I can feel good about the kids eating and would be perfect for a 1st birthday cake. I might even call this a legit breakfast. Go ahead; when your cupcake is healthy, you can eat it for breakfast!
How to Make Carrot Cake Cupcakes
If you try this recipe, please give it a star rating below. It’s so helpful for readers to see when a recipe is tried and true! I hope you love these Healthy Carrot Cake Cupcakes as much as we do!
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Healthy Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 12 cupcakes 1x
Description
So much healthier than traditional carrot cake, this light version of Carrot Cake Cupcakes are flavorful, moist, and always a hit!
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes
- 1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour or whole wheat pastry flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- 2/3 cups unsweetened applesauce
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup crushed pineapple, drained
- 2 cups shredded carrots
For the Frosting
- 8 ounces organic cream cheese
- 4 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin tins with paper liners and spray with non-stick cooking spray or use silicone muffin molds *
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, applesauce, maple syrup, and vanilla. Stir in the pineapple and carrots.
- Combine the wet and the dry ingredients and stir until mixture is smooth.
- Spoon approximately 1/3 cup of the batter into each muffin liner. Bake for 22-25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool on a rack before frosting.
- While cupcakes are cooling, prepare the frosting: In a medium bowl, beat together the cream cheese, maple syrup, vanilla and cinnamon until smooth and whipped.
- Frost your cupcakes once they are completely cooled. To frost your cupcakes, you can make them pretty by creating a make-shift pastry bag. Just snip the end of a plastic sandwich bag, put the frosting inside, and squeeze it out onto the cupcake. Easy! Enjoy!
Notes
*affiliate link
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cupcake with frosting
- Calories: 193
- Sugar: 13.4 grams
- Fat: 7.8 grams
- Carbohydrates: 27.8 grams
- Protein: 4.5 grams
If you’re a big fan of carrot cake flavors, you’ll love some of my other carrot cake recipes! Check them out below and let me know if you try one!
Carrot Cake Energy Balls
Carrot Cake Oatmeal Muffins
Healthy No Bake Carrot Cake Bars
Carrot Cake Cookies
Carrot Cake Smoothie
This recipe was first published in 2011. A video was added March 2020.
anyone have success making as a cake? Would love any tips. Sound SO delicious!!
I made these last night and I was absolutely shocked with how sweet they were (in a good way)! I just made the muffins and no frosting and they are lovely- frosted one with almond butter for breakfast 🙂 I added walnuts, raisins, chopped apple and coconut to them as well as a little molasses and sprinkled the tops with oats since I wasn’t going to frost them- super yummy!
I’m glad you liked them! Your additions sound great. 🙂
Every time I make cream cheese frosting it becomes runny….any suggestions?
Hi,
I really want to make this today but do you think it will work ok as a cake rather than cupcakes?
Thanks!!
Sorry for the late reply. I do think it will work as a cake, but you’ll have to double it if you want a double layer cake. Let me know if you try it!
Sounds yummy! Thanks so much for sharing.
I have 2 questions.
1. When you say maple syrup do you mean the real kind, or maple flavored breakfast syrup…like Aunt Jemima?
2. Have you ever doubled the recipe or do you suggest making in 2 batches to get 24?
I use real maple syrup. I have never doubled the recipe, but I think it would work fine. Let me know if you try it!
What are the nutrition facts?
Each cupcake, with frosting, has approximately 188 calories, 6 grams fat, 2 grams fiber, 4.5 grams protein, and 12 grams sugar. Enjoy! 🙂
I am going to make these for my daughters 1st birthday party! I am going to do cupcakes and cake. What size pan should I use for making cake?
Happy 1st birthday to your daughter! 🙂 This recipe will probably fill one 8 or 9 inch round pan. If you want a double layer (2 cakes), you’d probably have to make a double batch. I haven’t tried it as a cake, though. Let me know how it works out!
Hey Maryea: What is your suggestion for when to make these for a 10 am birthday party? Should I make muffins night before & then just add icing in the morning or can I mix batter & refrigerate & then make in the morning or what?
Dawn
I think making them the night before and then icing them in the morning is a good idea. The frosting is simple, so that won’t take too much time. I’ve never tried making the batter ahead of time, so I am not sure how it would work.
Hi!
I’m about to make your cupcakes! TFS such a nice looking recipe, M! 🙂
I’m probably missing it right on my face, but can you tell me how many cupcakes your recipe makes??
Thanks so much!
i.
It looks like I didn’t include that information–oops! This recipe makes 12 cupcakes. 🙂
Do you have a carrot cake recipe too? These look delish
I don’t but I need to! Will put it on the list.
I made these today for my mommy group and they were a huge hit! Thanks! The frosting is to die for!
Glad you liked them! I agree about the frosting. 🙂
I can’t wait to make these for Easter. Thanks for sharing such a wonderful recipe.
You’re welcome!
I finally made these and I am in love with them! So delicious and I don’t even feel guilty eating them. Everyone I shared them with also loved them!
Glad to hear it! 🙂 Thanks for letting me know.
the frosting. oh, my lord. delish 🙂
These are perfect for Owen’s 1st birthday party in 2 weeks! Another great recipe that I’m sure we all will enjoy.
Happy birthday, Owen! 🙂
Most of us moms could use a manicure. And pedicure. And, what the heck, a whole spa day…. 🙂
My little girl LOVES carrot cake. We actually had it for Christmas morning breakfast (per her request). I’ll have to give these muffins a go. I bet she’d love them.
My little one would definitely eat these for breakfast, lunch, and dinner if I let her!
Mmm, carrot cake–my favorite! Where was this post *before* my birthday this weekend? 🙂 Those sure look a lot better than the terrible vegan cupcake I got from Whole Foods!
I have heard the cupcakes at Whole Foods are terrible. More reason to make your own! 🙂
Just in time for our big 5th birthday! Maybe I’ll make these to send into school. Thanks!
Aw–tell the twins we said Happy Birthday!
These look great. The only part I would leave out are the frostings. Never been a fan 🙂
Blessing
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I guess we can still be friends. 🙂 Meghan ate all the frosting off of the top and then said, “More cupcake.” I told her she only ate the frosting so far, not the cupcake. She said, “Oh, more frosting!” She is definitely my daughter on this one. I love cream cheese frosting!
I love the idea of maple syrup in frosting. Yum! This might be a fin cooking project with the little one
My little one loves to help out in the kitchen. It’s tough though because she wants to eat everything before it’s ready! She’ll even eat flour. Kids are so weird!
Thanks for this recipe. The boys and I might have to make these today as we are stuck home with 5 inches of snow last night and no school today. They look delicious and carrot cake is my absolute favorite.
These are perfect for a snow day! 🙂
These look great. I love cream cheese frosting.
Cream cheese frosting is my favorite! I was so happy that it was still delicious without all the powdered sugar.