Gluten Free Carrot Cake Cupcakes

Why I Love These Cupcakes

These deliciously cute carrot cake cupcakes are made with oat flour, which gives them a tender crumb and a wholesome heartiness I love. They're sweetened just enough, warmly spiced, and topped with a fluffy cloud of homemade cream cheese frosting that's as lush to eat as it is simple to make. These cupcakes are a little rustic, a little homey, and a lot delicious. Packed with shredded carrots, you can also add nuts to the cupcakes if you like or keep them plain and simple. There's so much to love!

• Gluten free. Each bite is naturally gluten-free, thanks to the oat flour, but I promise that no one will be able to tell.
• Beautifully balanced. These cupcakes are perfectly moist, gently sweet, and warmly spiced.
• Adaptable. Want more cupcakes? Double up on the recipe. Like a bit of crunch? Add nuts! Want a simpler frosting? Dust the cupcakes with powdered sugar! You have options.

Ingredients Needed

I've outlined what you'll need to bake up a batch of carrot cake cupcakes below. Don't forget to scroll to my recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full ingredient amounts and instructions!

• Vegetable oil - You can use any oil of your choice here, including coconut oil, olive oil (for a richer flavor), or avocado or canola oil.
• Granulated sugar
• Salt - Fine sea salt or table salt works fine.
• Eggs - Large eggs at room temperature are best.
• Spices - A combination of ground cinnamon, ginger, and cloves.
• Oat flour - Learn how to make oat flour or use a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour blend (like my homemade gluten free flour blend). If you can't eat oats, sorghum flour or brown rice flour are good substitutes.
• Rising agents - Baking powder and baking soda (check to make sure they're fresh!)
• Carrots - You'll need about 1 ½ cups of finely shredded carrots.
• Frosting - Unsalted butter, cream cheese, and powdered sugar.

Tips and Variation Suggestions

• Refrigerate the cupcakes before frosting. At room temperature, the cupcakes are fairly soft. To help them hold together when you add the frosting, chill the cupcakes for about 30 minutes in the fridge. Make sure to use a gentle hand when adding the frosting.
• Add other spices. You can add ¼ teaspoon each of ground nutmeg and cardamom to give the cupcakes a more deeply spiced flavor.
• Stir in nuts. For a little crunch to offset the softness of the cupcakes, add ½ cup of chopped walnuts to the batter when you add the carrots.
• To make refined sugar-free: Use ⅔ cup of maple syrup or coconut sugar instead of the granulated sugar.
• To make dairy-free: Substitute your favorite non-dairy butter and non-dairy cream cheese in the frosting.
• Frosting alternatives. You can add a simple vanilla buttercream frosting to the cupcakes if you don't care for cream cheese frosting. Or sift a little powdered sugar over the tops of the cakes for a simple finish.
• Add maple syrup. For a touch of maple flavor in the frosting, add a little maple syrup, 1 teaspoon at a time, when you add the powdered sugar.

Proper Storage

It's best to keep the cupcakes in the fridge because of the cream cheese frosting. You can eat them straight from the fridge or let them sit on the counter for 10-15 minutes to soften the frosting. I love them either way!

• Fridge - Store the cake, tightly covered or in an airtight container, in the fridge for up to 3 days.
• Freezer - I don't recommend freezing the assembled cupcakes, but you can freeze just the baked cupcakes. Cool the cupcakes completely, then transfer them to a freezer-safe container or sealable bag. Store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw the cupcakes completely in the fridge before adding the frosting.