Looking for a sweet spring dessert? These dairy free, vegan, & gluten free carrot cake cupcakes are a light and fluffy dessert; the perfect carrot cake for entertaining. Great for birthdays, Mother’s Day, and more, these cupcakes are perfected with a vegan cream cheese frosting.
Gluten Free Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients
The gluten free and dairy free brands were the ones tested in this recipe. If you decide to use other substitutions, I can’t confirm how the cupcakes/will turn out.
Gluten Free Flour
I used King Arthur gluten free flour. My preference tends to be away from brands that include any sort of bean flour as these have an odd taste at times; especially for those not used to gluten-free.
*If you do not require gluten free, all-purpose flour will work fine substituted in this recipe.
Vegan Butter
I have tested this with both Earth Balance® [soy-free] which is vegan, gluten free, and dairy free and Country Crock® Plant Butter.
Vegan Cream Cheese
I have tested this with both vegan cream cheese from Trader Joes as well as Violife.
Carrot Cake Cupcake Mix-Ins
I personally prefer all my cupcakes moist, light & fluffy, so though these carrot cake cupcakes do not contain a lot of additional textured ingredients.
However, you are welcome to mix in other texturized items as desired. Common favorites include: shredded carrots, nuts (especially chopped pecans or walnuts), and/or raisins.
How to Make
Preheat your oven and line 12 standard sized cupcake/muffin tins with paper liners. Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl and wet ingredients in a small bowl. Stir just until mixed and add in optional mixers.
Split batter evenly between cupcakes – in this recipe, they will be mostly full! See example below which turned out perfectly. Bake and allow to cook.
Mix up frosting and pipe onto cupcakes. Read below to learn more for frosting tips and how to pipe it on.
Moist, Fluffy, & Flavorful Gluten-Free Cupcake Tips
Anyone who’s told you dessert can’t be unnoticeably gluten and dairy free is wrong! These are as amazing as the regular ones. Plus, use these fun tips (for making gluten-free cupcakes) to make sure they are the best cupcakes you’ve ever tasted:
- It’s important to add additional moisture for gluten-free baking. This can be done by adding more vegan butter or oil, adding fruits such as pumpkin, carrot, or applesauce purees.
- To make sure your cupcakes have plenty of flavor, add more sugar than usual, or more spices/vanilla/extracts.
- Properly measure all ingredients, especially flour. To properly measure flour, scoop the flour into the dry measuring cup, then flatten the edge with the flat edge of a butter knife.
- This gluten free batter will typically feel slightly runnier than usual. Don’t overthink it and add extra flour, your cupcakes will be dry!
- Mix thoroughly — vigorously fold to add extra air, but do not overmix, stop when ingredients are combined.
- Other tips I found for gluten-free cupcakes but have not confirmed myself: adding cornstarch to the flour to mimic cake flour, cooking at a temperature lowered by 25 degrees, add a bit extra leavening agent (baking powder or baking soda).
- Use a flour that measures 1:1 (meaning 1 cup of regular flour = exactly 1 cup gluten-free flour and already includes xanthan gum). Two popular options are King Arthur and Bob’s Red Mill.
Vegan / Dairy Free Cream Cheese Frosting
Tips
- Make sure the frosting has a medium-thick consistency. You can get the right consistency by adding additional powdered sugar as needed.
- Refrigeration is preferred before piping the icing onto the cupcakes.
- The cupcakes must be completely cooled and the frosting refrigerated for the vegan cream cheese to keep its shape.
Piping the Frosting & Decorating
To top the cupcakes/pipe on the frosting, use piping bags and ideally a 1m frosting tip (the one most commonly used for frosting cupcakes). A 4d frosting tip can also be used if the 1m is not available, it will only have a slightly different appearance. I used confetti sprinkles on top in spring flavors.
FAQ
The typical cupcake is filled about 2/3 full. In this recipe, it came out to work out best at about 4/5 full.
You can use any cupcake liners you deem fit. I typically use cute paper designs when entertaining and when not, I prefer to use a more natural, unbleached cupcake liner.
It’s based on personal preference, but a 1m frosting tip seems to be the most common frosting tip used for topping cupcake frosting. A 4d frosting tip can be used as a backup.
The recipe is gluten and dairy free as listed below. Make sure to use 2 egg replacements instead of eggs and then it is vegan as well.
More Gluten and Dairy Free Baking
For more delicious gluten and dairy free spring favorites, try out a Healthy Fruit Salsa and Gluten Free Cinnamon Chips or these delicious Gluten Free Chicken Lettuce Wraps (Paleo, Whole30).
So go ahead, make the perfect, deliciously sweet and spring party dessert. And don’t even feel like you have to be missing out!
Here’s to a healthy spring and regaining our sparkle together,
✧❈✯✦Jenn✦✯❈✧
Carrot Cake Cupcakes (Gluten Free & Dairy Free)
Ingredients
- Paper cupcake liners
- 1¼ cups gluten free flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 8 ounces 1 cup applesauce
- 4 ounces about ½ cup or a jar carrot baby food
- 2 eggs or 2 egg replacements for vegan
- 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil
- *Optional mix-ins: 1 cup shredded carrots ¼ cup drained crushed pineapple, drained well, ½ cup toasted chopped pecans, ½ cup golden raisins
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup 1 stick vegan butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4-4½ cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line 12 standard sized cupcake/muffin tins with unbleached paper liners.
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon. Combine the applesauce, baby food, eggs and coconut oil in a smaller bowl and add to dry ingredients. Stir just until mixed. Mix in desired optional ingredients. *As personal preference, I like my carrot cake smooth, but if you don’t, these mix-ins make it more of a traditional texture.
- Split better evenly between cupcakes (they’ll be about 4/5 [almost completely] full). Bake for 18-22 minutes or until baked through (toothpick comes out clean when inserted in center). Allow to cool.
- For frosting, in a large bowl, beat butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and beat until mixed. Mix in confectioners’ sugar, a little at a time. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Pipe* onto cupcakes.
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