Carrot Cake Cupcakes w/Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting: tender, carrot cake cupcakes with delicate, light texture. Luscious cream cheese icing with vanilla bean flecks. Out of this world good combo! Your favorite, moist and delicious carrot cake in cupcake form! Nice for Easter or any special occasion.

Well I’ve mentioned the weather a good bit here lately because it’s been so crazy. A few years ago we got all excited when the calendar announced spring, then we waited and waited for Mother Nature to concur. Then on April Fool’s Day, she had one more funny up her sleeve and we woke up to a foot of heavy snow.

It wasn’t all bad. The weekend storm afforded me a peaceful day indoors to bake and photograph these delicious Carrot Cake Cupcakes w/Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting for Jon’s upcoming birthday. I have a dear friend who makes this recipe as a 9 X 13 cake and it’s requested everywhere she goes.

So I thought I’d try my hand tweaking it into cupcakes this time. The nice thing about cupcakes is they bake so quickly – these took just 18-20 minutes. Cupcakes also pack great in lunches, and who doesn’t like their own self-contained little bakery treat?

So even though it snowed all through the night that Friday and Saturday too, Sunday morning dawned bright and sunny. The temps were in the mid-50’s. After church and a leisurely lunch, we flew the coop to the coast. If I could choose, I’d be at the water 24-7.

We meandered along the wooden boardwalk by the ocean in Newburyport, MA, dodging the occasional snow clump. Then we walked the brick-cobbled streets, exploring beautiful New England architecture, big old homes overlooking the water, some with widow’s walks. Had a dog at the famous Richland’s, where hotdogs have been 25¢ for decades.

The wind was still whistling a bit, so we tailgated for the cupcakes. Even then we had trouble keeping the candles lit.

It was a quiet, peaceful and cozy 47th birthday celebration for Jon, especially since we were in the process of moving to a new home in just a few weeks. Nice to get a break from packing boxes.

The key to the texture of these cupcakes is the very finely grated carrots. While the grated carrots give wonderful flavor and moisture, it’s not like you’re chomping on carrot chunks. In fact, the texture is light and delicate, and you might not even guess the carrots are in there.

I hope you love these scrumptious Carrot Cake Cupcakes as much as we do. While the cupcakes are temptingly delicious, it’s the vanilla bean specked cream cheese frosting that’s the icing on the cake. (Pun intended.)

It’s best to start with room temperature cream cheese and butter. With an electric hand mixer, whip together both the cream cheese and butter until it’s light and fluffy and there are no lumps.

Then slowly incorporate the powdered sugar in. Finally, stir in the vanilla bean paste. Frost with a butter knife or spreader. Or use a pastry bag and pipe the cream cheese frosting on like I did. (I used jumbo Wilton star tip size 1 M, FYI.) Enjoy!

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Carrot Cake Cupcakes w/Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting

Course Dessert

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 18 minutes minutes

Total Time 38 minutes minutes

Ingredients

Cupcakes:

• 2 1/4 cups cake flour
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 heaping teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups finely grated carrot
• 1 cup liquid coconut oil or vegetable oil
• 4 eggs

Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting:

• softened 8 oz. package cream cheese
• 1/2 cup butter softened
• 4 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
• Optional: 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans for sprinkling on cupcakes

Instructions

Cupcakes:

• Preheat oven to 325°.
• In medium mixing bowl, stir together cake flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
• Add in carrot, oil and eggs.
• Mix by hand until moistened,
• Using an electric hand mixer, beat on medium speed for exactly two minutes.
• Line muffin cups with paper or foil liners.
• Fill muffin cups almost 2/3 full. (This recipe makes 2 1/2 dozen (30) cupcakes.)
• Place muffin pans on middle oven rack(s) and bake for 18-20 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean.
• Cool completely, then frost with Cream Cheese Frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

• Beat softened cream cheese and butter together until fluffy.
• Slowly beat in 4 1/2 cups powdered sugar until smooth.
• Stir in vanilla bean paste.
• Frost cupcakes, then garnish with chopped nuts if desired.

Notes

Substitute two teaspoons pure vanilla extract if you don't have vanilla bean paste.
Substitute 2 cups of all purpose flour instead of 2 1/4 cups cake flour if you don't have cake flour.
I used a pastry bag and jumbo Wilton star tip 1M to frost these cupcakes.

You may also like: Brick Street Chocolate Cupcakes

The post Carrot Cake Cupcakes w/Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting appeared first on Through Her Looking Glass.

This Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting recipe is a light and fluffy cream cheese frosting flecked with yummy vanilla bean specks. Cream cheese and butter combine for a gourmet cream cheese frosting that’s a showstopper on cakes and cupcakes alike!

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Homemade Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting

If you’re a cream cheese frosting lover, this simple recipe is for you! I recently made Carrot Cake Cupcakes frosted with this Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting recipe for Jon’s birthday. We toted a picnic late on a Sunday afternoon to one of our fave spots by the wooden boardwalk along the Merrimack River in Newburyport, Massachusetts. It was springtime and windy, and after walking and exploring for a bit, we ended up tailgating with his cupcakes in the back of our suburban. (That was so the candles would stay lit just long enough so he could blow them out again.) The cupcakes were excellent, but it was this vanilla bean cream cheese frosting that everyone raved about.

The vanilla bean flecks give wonderful, gourmet vanilla bean flavor to this creamy frosting. The easiest and most inexpensive way I know to get this great vanilla bean flavor is to use vanilla bean paste. It comes in a small plastic jar with a cap, and is thick like honey. I buy Nielsen Massey vanilla bean paste at my local grocery store in the baking section. (You’ll find it with the vanilla extracts.)

This creamy and luscious Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting recipe elevates cakes and cupcakes, but also transforms the humble graham cracker into a spectacular treat!

Key Ingredients

You only need 4 ingredients to make this velvety smooth Homemade Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting:

• Cream Cheese: One 8-oz. package softened to room temperature (to prevent lumps)
• Butter: Half a cup of unsalted also softened to room temperature
• Powdered Sugar: You’ll need four and a half cups total.
• Vanilla Bean Paste: This is what gives this homemade frosting the vanilla flavor and classic black flecks. You’ll need 2 teaspoons total.

How To Make Cream Cheese Frosting

1. First, beat softened cream cheese and butter together until fluffy and there are no lumps.
2. Then, gradually (and slowly so you don’t make a mess) add the powdered sugar to the butter and cream cheese mixture until smooth.
3. Fold in vanilla bean paste until all of the frosting is flecked.
4. Tightly cover, and refrigerate leftovers until you’re ready to use. Pipe onto cupcakes, cakes, or even just graham crackers with some sprinkles!

Tips and Variations

• Make sure your butter and cream cheese are at room temperature before whipping together with an electric hand mixer until light and creamy. This prevents lumps!
• Add the powdered sugar very gradually so you don’t make a mess. (Speaking from previous experience, here!)
• I like using vanilla bean paste to get that gourmet taste, but you can substitute pure vanilla extract if you don’t have vanilla bean paste on hand. 

Storage and Freezing Instructions

• Store leftover frosting in an airtight container in your fridge for up to one week.
• Freeze this homemade cream cheese frosting in an airtight, freezer-safe container or plastic bag for up to 6 months. Allow to thaw in the fridge before using again.

More Dessert Recipes To Try

• Homemade Chocolate Frosting
• Fresh Red Tart Cherry Compote
• Ritz Carlton Lemon Pound Cake
• Sugared Pecans
• King Arthur Birthday Cupcakes

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Gourmet Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

Ingredients

• softened 8 oz. package cream cheese
• 1/2 cup butter softened
• 4 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste

Instructions

• Beat softened cream cheese and butter together until fluffy and there are no lumps.
• Slowly beat in 4 1/2 cups powdered sugar until smooth.
• Stir in vanilla bean paste.
• Tightly cover and refrigerate leftovers.

Notes

*Substitute pure vanilla extract in place of vanilla bean paste if needed.
*To restore creamy consistency to refrigerated frosting, allow to come to room temperature first. Then whip with electric hand mixer. Add a small amount of milk or cream if needed to restore consistency.

The post Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe appeared first on Through Her Looking Glass.