Can these cupcakes be made with all-purpose flour?

Yes, all-purpose flour can be used with no adjustments needed to the recipe. (I tested it to be sure!)

Can you replace the oil with butter?

I like to add oil to carrot cake for moisture so I haven't tested an equal amount of butter in place of the oil. It will likely result in a different texture. If you give it a try, please let me know how it goes!

Can these cupcakes be made vegan?

Unfortunately, I haven't tested this recipe with an egg replacement.

Do you need to let the batter rest?

Yes, this gives the batter time to thicken as the gluten-free flour absorbs the wet ingredients. I baked a batch without letting the batter rest and the cupcakes to not have as much rise.

Do you need to add xanthan gum?

There's no need to add xanthan gum but you will need to use a 1-to-1 baking flour that contains it. This will provide volume and binding for the batter.

Gluten-Free Carrot Cake Cupcakes

Description

Gluten-Free Carrot Cake Cupcakes are fluffy and moist, filled with carrots and warm spices and topped with dairy-free cream cheese frosting!

Ingredients

For the cupcakes:

1 1/4 cup (165g) gluten-free baking flour (see note)
1/4 cup (35g) cornstarch
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup (100g) packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup (60g) cane sugar
3/4 cup (180ml) vegetable oil
1/4 cup (60ml) unsweetened almond milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cup (125g) finely grated carrot

For the frosting:

8 ounces (227g) plant-based cream cheese
4 ounces (113g) plant-based butter
3 cups (360g) powdered sugar, sifted if lumpy
Chopped walnuts for topping (optional)

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Instructions

Line a cupcake pan with 12 liners and then line another with 3 liners.
In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg.
In a separate large bowl, whisk together the eggs, brown sugar, cane sugar, vegetable oil, almond milk and vanilla.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and use a spatula to stir until just combined.
Fold in the grated carrots and let the batter rest for 20 minutes. While it rests, preheat oven to 325F.
Divide the batter into the cupcake liners. They should be 3/4 full.
Bake for 26-28 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean.
Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
For the frosting, add the cream cheese and butter to a mixing bowl and use an electric mixer on medium-high speed to cream together. Gradually add the powdered sugar until the frosting is smooth and creamy.
Frost the cupcakes and top with chopped walnuts (optional).
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Notes

Make sure you are using a 1-to-1 gluten-free baking flour that contains xanthan gum in the ingredients. I used Bob’s Red Mill.
If you don’t have a kitchen scale, measure your flour using the spoon and level method with a dry measuring cup. If you measure it by scooping the flour out of the bag or container, it will be packed into the cup and result in too much flour for the cupcakes.
Let the batter rest for 20 minutes so the flour has a chance to absorb the wet ingredients and thicken the batter.
Make sure you finely grate your carrots so they evenly disperse throughout the batter. Avoid using pre-shredded carrots as they are too dry for baking.
This recipe makes 15 cupcakes. Please don’t try to fit all of the batter into a 12-cup muffin pan. Each cupcake liner should be about 3/4 full.
Before frosting the cupcakes, let them cool completely. If they’re still warm, the frosting will slide off. Also, gluten-free baked goods usually need to cool to firm up. When they’re warm, they can be a bit crumbly.
Make sure your cornstarch, baking powder and spices are certified gluten-free.
Be sure to check out the other sections above the recipe card for more detailed advice and suggestions for making this recipe.