Orange and Carrot Cupcakes are a completely different take on carrot cake. Instead of heavy wintery spices, I’ve flavoured the carrot sponge with vibrant orange. They’re fluffy, delicate and full of flavour.
Carrot cakes tend to be spicy and autumnal with cinnamon and nuts, but I’m desperate to see the first glimpse of spring so I’ve made these carrot cupcakes light and bright with a citrus tang.
They taste like orange cupcakes, but with all the goodness from the carrot.
Carrots are probably the least curious of the vegetables to go into desserts so these cupcakes won’t surprise anyone quite as much as pea and lemon cupcakes or spinach pastry, but they will surely be pleased with the moist texture and unusual, refreshing take on carrot cake.
Grating the carrot finely will ensure that lovely bright colour and smoother texture of the cake.
Get the recipe for Orange and Carrot Cupcakes with Orange Icing
Did you make this recipe?
Please let me know how this carrot cupcakes recipe turned out for you! Leave a comment and star rating below and share a picture on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook with the hashtag #veggiedesserts.
Carrot and Orange Cupcakes with Orange Icing
Ingredients
For the cupcakes:
- 2 carrots (medium-sized, raw)
- 150 g unsalted butter, softened
- 150 g granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoons orange zest
- 200 g plain flour (all purpose)
- 1.5 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
For the icing:
- 75 g unsalted butter , softened
- 250 g powdered icing sugar (confectioner's)
- 2-3 tablespoons orange juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 170C/325F. Line or grease a muffin tray.
- Peel and finely grate the carrots. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, and then beat in the carrot, vanilla and orange zest.
- Sift in the flour, baking powder and salt and stir to gently combine.
- Fill the muffin cups ¾ full and bake for 15-20 minutes or until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Allow to cool in the tins for 10 minutes then remove and allow to cool completely on a wire rack. Frost with the icing when cold.
For the icing:
- In a large bowl, cream the butter until fluffy. Sift in the icing sugar and beat until thick. Add enough of the orange juice to make it a frosting consistency.
Nutrition Information
Have some more carrots left over? Why not try this easy carrot jam or even some carrot jammy dodgers? I love how versatile carrots are in desserts – for more than just typical carrot cake!
sharon
I love carrot cake but hate the usual cheese icing and cinnamon, so these were perfect for me! Thank you for the recipe! They were easy and really tasty. I love the added vegetables and can’t wait to try your other vegetable cakes.
Jenni Dawn
Hi i love your kale orange cupcakes and I just had to try these too. I love how these are so much lighter than traditional carrot cake. I hate the carrot cake with cinnamon, walnuts and raisins so this was so cute to try.
I can’t wait to try more of your vegetable cakes. next on my list is pea cake!
Kate Hackworthy
Thanks Jenni. They’re quite different to the usual spiced carrot cakes.
Alma Beatrice
Hello Kate, I made your carrot cupcakes and they turn out great. so moist and delicious. The main thing different I included a 1/4 cup of drained crushed pineapple. Love your Blog. Thank You for sharing.
Kate Hackworthy
Sounds great with the pineapple!! I’m so pleased that you like them and thanks for coming back to let me know your thoughts 🙂
Kacey
I love these! They’re so nice and orange tasting and the bits of carrot are really nice. Yum! Wonderful taste.I actually added a bit of lemon to the icing to make orange and lemon cupcakes. So good!!
Choclette
Only carrot cakes Kate – what’s going on?
Seriously, these look delicious indeed. I have a recipe for carrot and choc chip cakes I hope to be making shortly which is also a bit different to your average carrot cake.
Kate Hackworthy
ooooh, those will be great!
Aunt Bee
Love the idea of the orange icing! Gorgeous photos as always! <3
Kate Hackworthy
Orange icing is a firm favourite. So refreshing!
Krystal
That icing looks amazing! I Will add this to my to make list!
Kate Hackworthy
Let me know how you like them!