Carrot Cupcake Minis with White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

Carrot Cupcake Minis with White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting – miniature carrot cupcakes made with doctored boxed cake mix and topped with smooth and creamy white chocolate cream cheese frosting.

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These Carrot Cupcakes Minis are out of this world delicious for two reasons: #1 – The Carrot Cake, and #2 – The White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting.

#1 the Carrot Cupcakes

The Carrot Cupcake Minis are made from a doctored carrot boxed cake mix. If you’re looking for a fab from-scratch carrot cake then you want my Carrot Cupcakes recipe. Sometimes we just want and need a quicker but still delish recipe and that is where these Carrot Cupcake Minis come in.

To make these Carrot Cupcake Minis you will need the traditional boxed cake mix ingredients - carrot boxed cake mix, water, oil, and eggs. The ‘doctored’ component comes in with the addition of baking soda, baking powder, orange extract, cinnamon, crushed walnuts, and shredded carrots.

The Carrot Cupcake Minis are deliciously moist and fluffy with a hint of orange and cinnamon. The addition of the shredded carrots gives these carrot cupcakes a one-two-carrot punch, and the crushed walnuts give a subtle texture and flavor boost.

If you don’t have orange extract you can replace it with vanilla extract or omit it completely. The crushed walnuts can also be replaced with pecans or whatever your favorite nut is. If you’re not feeling crushed nuts then you can leave those out too. These Carrot Cupcake Minis aren’t picky. They’re scrumptious!

#2 The White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

The Carrot Cupcake Minis are wonderful, but let’s face it; the real gem is the frosting. It’s always the frosting! And this White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting is well, the icing on the cupcake!

White chocolate, cream cheese, butter, milk, powdered sugar, and a touch of orange extract make up this delightfully creamy, smooth, and completely otherworldly White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting. This cream cheese frosting would also be amazing on my scratch Carrot Cupcakes!

If you’re not a fan of cream cheese frosting don’t sweat it. These Carrot Cupcake Minis will be just as happy and delicious with Vanilla Buttercream {which is my favorite}.

To finish these cupcake minis sprinkle a little crushed nuts on top and voila, Carrot Cupcake Minis with White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting {also known as bite-size carrot cupcake heaven}!

Carrot Cupcake Minis + White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting = I bet you can’t eat only one! 😉

Carrot Cupcake Minis with White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

Miniature carrot cupcakes made with doctored boxed cake mix and topped with smooth and creamy white chocolate cream cheese frosting.

Servings 48 mini cupcakes

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Ingredients

  

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For Carrot Cupcake Minis

• 1 and ¾ cup carrot boxed cake mix
• ⅓ cup water
• ¼ cup vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon orange extract
• ¼ cup chopped walnuts
• 1 cup shredded carrots*

For White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

• 3 ounces white chocolate melting wafers
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon orange extract
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 1-2 tablespoons milk

Instructions

 

For Carrot Cupcake Minis

• Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Line mini cupcake pan with mini cupcake liners. Set aside.
• In a large bowl using an electric mixer, mix together boxed cake mix, water, oil, eggs, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and orange extract on medium speed for 2 minutes. Mixture should be combined and smooth. Fold in chopped walnuts* and shredded carrots*.
• Scoop batter into mini cupcake liners, no more than ⅔ full. Bake for about 8-10 minutes. Mine baked perfect at 9 minutes. Insert a toothpick into the center of the cupcake, if it comes out clean it is done. Remove cupcakes from oven and allow cupcakes to cool in cupcake pan for 2 minutes; transfer to wire rack and cool completely. Cupcakes should be cooled completely before frosting.

For White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

• In a microwave safe bowl, add white chocolate wafers/baking chocolate. Microwave on medium heat for 30 seconds. Remove and stir slowly. Replace in microwave for 15 second increments until chocolate is completely melted. Cool to room temperature.
• In a large bowl using an electric mixer, cream cream cheese and butter until creamy and smooth. Add orange extract; mix until combined. Add white chocolate; mix until combined.
• Slowly add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time; beating well after each addition. Scrape down bowl as necessary.
• Once all powdered sugar has been mixed in, add 1 tablespoon of milk at a time and mix. Continue to add and mix until desired consistency is achieved.
• Frost cooled cupcakes with a decorating tip or spatula. Sprinkle crushed walnuts on top. Eat & Enjoy!

Notes

*Crushed walnuts can be omitted or substituted with your favorite nut.

*I used shredded carrots and put them in a food processor and pulsed 3-4x. My carrot pieces were small; about ¼". Shred or grate carrots to your desired size.

Store Carrot Cupcake Minis with White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting in an airtight container in the refrigerator; will keep 4+ days.

DID YOU BAKE THIS RECIPE? I'D LOVE TO SEE IT!Mention @sarahsbakestudio or tag #sarahsbakestudio!