Easy Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Pineapple
These carrot cake cupcakes are made with shredded carrots and a can of crushed pineapple to keep them extra moist. You only need one bowl to make this recipe, which keeps it super simple with minimal clean up! Frost them with a classic cream cheese frosting or with this cinnamon cream cheese frosting like I did here- sooo good!
Sure, you could totally make these super moist and fluffy carrot cake cupcakes without pineapple- in fact the first time I made them I actually used orange juice as the liquid but thought that it tasted a little too overpowering.
Then I remembered that in the past I made this carrot pineapple cake and loved the flavor combo. Turns out this is a combo that lots of people love and I had no idea! So instead of the milk that I was going to sub half of the orange juice with, I decided to see what would happen with an 8oz can of crushed pineapple.
The results? HEAVENLY!
Even as a professional baker, I was actually so shocked with how incredible these were because the flavor is subtle, sweet but not too sweet, and the carrot cake is moist for days. Seriously I made these on a Thursday and its now Tuesday and they are still moist and delicious! Plus I didnt intend to make them dairy free but they are!
I topped them with these cinnamon cream cheese frosting but you can honestly eat them plain without any frosting, they are that good! Lemme show you how to make them!
Prepping the ingredients
Theres just 2 things I want to point out here that can help make this recipe shine.
1- Shred your own carrots– the pre shredded carrots from the store are not shredded finely enough and are too dry to add to this recipe. They will add too much crunch and not enough moisture. Instead either hand grate your own (you only need 2 medium-large) or use a food processor. I have a mini food processor for small recipes like this and it really helps!
2- Use crushed pineapple- You’ll use the whole 8 oz can, including the juice. If you accidentally buy the slices because the cans look the same (gee, wonder how I know that) then you can just chop up the slices really small but still use the juice.
Making the cupcakes
Add ins
You can 100% add in raisins or nuts into this recipe! I prefer it without but I know lots of people like them in different ways. I would aim for 1/3 – 1/2 cup of add ins here. Throw them into the batter with the carrots at the end. You can also add in 1/2 tsp nutmeg, ginger, or any other warm spices when you add the cinnamon, but again, I prefer without.
Easy Carrot Cupcakes With Pineapple
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1, 8 oz can crushed pineapple including juice
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 egg
- 1 cup shredded carrots, 2 M-L carrots, peeled
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a muffin pan with 12 paper liners.
- In a medium sized bowl, add the 3/4 cup brown sugar, 1 1/2 cup all purpose flour, 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp kosher salt, and 1 tsp cinnamon. Whisk well to combine.
- Add the 8 oz crushed pineapple including the juice and the 1 tbsp vanilla extract and mix lightly to combine.
- In a measuring cup, add the 1/4 cup vegetable oil and 1 egg. Whisk to combine, then add into the batter and mix lightly again to combine.
- Add in the 1 cup shredded carrots and mix only until combined.
- Using an ice cream scoop, scoop the batter 2/3 of the way full into the muffin tin. There is just enough for 12 cupcakes. If there isn’t, then there is too much added to the others.
- Bake for 18 minutes.
- Cool on a wire rack and frost with cinnamon cream cheese frosting.
