Carrot Cake Cupcakes {Paleo & Nut Free}

These dreamy carrot cake cupcakes are made with coconut and tapioca flour and sweetened with maple syrup, making them both paleo and nut free.   They’re topped with a sweet creamy paleo vanilla “buttercream” that tastes just like real thing!  

Welcome to another dessert-y weekend!  I have two nut-free + paleo baking recipes to share!  The first is today’s carrot cake cupcakes with “buttercream” frosting.  Just in time for Spring!

Well, we might have a few weeks left until real spring, but in my mind, (and kitchen!) we’re there right now.

I realize that carrot cake traditionally includes a cream cheese frosting.   My paleo “cream cheese” frosting uses cashews for texture and I wanted to make these cupcakes nut free. Instead, I chose to top them with a dairy free buttercream frosting instead.

That said, if you don’t need to keep things nut free and want to try out my “cream cheese” frosting you can get that recipe right here.

Anyway, about the cupcakes!  I decided to go with a mix of coconut and tapioca flour to give these carrot cake cupcakes traditional texture.  The combo did not fail me.

It took just two tries to get the ratios right – which is not at all bad for experimenting with coconut flour!

That said, you might be a little surprised at how thick the “batter” is after mixing it altogether.  Especially if you’re not familiar with baking with coconut flour.  In fact, the batter really looks more like a dough.

No worries at all though, because 1.) coconut flour batter is almost always thick and 2.) it means you can sort of shape these cupcakes to be nice and round.  Weird, I know, but that’s paleo baking for you 🙂

Since I did use baking powder, they’ll expand/rise a bit, but not all that much, so there’s no need to worry they’ll spill over the tops of the muffins cups.

The dairy free “buttercream” is a totally new recipe that I used for both these cupcakes also some traditional vanilla cupcakes that will be coming to the blog soon.

Instead of butter, I whipped up a mixture of palm oil shortening and refined coconut oil for great texture and neutral flavor.

I added thick creamy raw honey to sweeten and vanilla extract for flavor.  Tapioca flour thickens up the texture so it resembles a real buttercream.

The result is incredible!  My 6 year old (the pickiest child) claimed they tasted just like birthday party cupcake frosting.  And yes, my kids still eat non-paleo desserts sometimes 😉

I was definitely impressed that the texture of the frosting remained soft but not runny at room temperature.  Though it hardens in the fridge, you can easily re-whip it back to its original form in no time at all.  Easy peasy!

These carrot cake cupcakes are delicious enough to serve to anyone – paleo or not!   You’ll be amazed at just how moist and tender the texture is.

I added raisins to mine, which is optional, and there’s room in the recipe to add very well drained crushed pineapple if you enjoy that flavor in your carrot cake.

I hope you’re ready for a serious treat here!  Grab your carrots grated and oven preheated – let’s bake!

Carrot Cake Cupcakes {Paleo & Nut Free}

Carrot Cake Cupcakes {Paleo, Nut Free}

These dreamy carrot cake cupcakes are made with coconut and tapioca flour and sweetened with maple syrup, making them both paleo and nut free.   They're topped with a sweet creamy paleo vanilla "buttercream" that tastes just like real thing! 

Author: Michele

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Cooling Time: 30 mins

Total Time: 40 minutes

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Nut Free, Paleo

Servings: 12 cupcakes

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4.54 from 67 votes

Ingredients

Cupcakes:

• 4 eggs room temp
• 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons coconut milk full fat or light, room temp, blended before adding
• 1/4 cup coconut oil refined, melted and cooled to almost room temp
• 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup coconut flour
• 1/3 cup tapioca flour or arrowroot
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• Pinch nutmeg
• 2 1/4 cups shredded/grated carrots
• 1/2 cup raisins optional OR 1/2 cup crushed pineapple, drained well

Frosting:

• 1/2 cup palm oil shortening room temp**
• 1/2 cup coconut oil refined, softened but still solid**
• 1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon tapioca flour or arrowroot
• 1/3 cup raw honey *or pure maple syrup
• 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/8 tsp fine grain sea salt

Instructions

For Cupcakes:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line a 12 cup muffin pan with parchment liners.
2. In one bowl, combine with coconut and tapioca flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices, set aside.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, coconut milk, coconut oil, maple syrup, lemon juice and vanilla until very smooth.
4. Stir dry ingredients into wet mixture slowly until a very thick batter forms. Due to the coconut flour, batter will seem more like a dough. Stir in grated carrots and raisins, and pineapple if using.

5. Scoop batter into muffin cups all the way up, to get them nice and round, you can actually roll them into balls loosely with your hands.  I made 14 cupcakes, so you'll likely have to bake them in 2 batches. 

6. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 mins or until they rise and are set in the center.
7. Remove from oven and allow to sit 5 minutes in the pan, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
8. While cupcakes cool, make the frosting.

Buttercream Frosting:

1. Using an electric hand mixer, beat the shortening and coconut oil until smooth and fluffy. Add in the honey and beat on low until combined, then add tapioca, vanilla and sea salt and beat until creamy.
2. Frost cupcakes immediately, OR store frosting in the refrigerator until ready to use. Frosting will harden in the fridge, but you can let it sit for 5 minutes at room temp, then re-beat before frosting the cupcakes. Frosting can also be made ahead of time following this method.

3. Frost cupcakes using a piping bag or with an offset spatula. Store leftover cupcakes in the refrigerator after the first day for up to 4 days. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

*A thick creamy raw honey works best for this frosting to keep it thick.  If you're using maple syrup and the frosting is too thin, you can add up to 2 additional Tbsps of tapioca flour to thicken it.  

**If you can have dairy, grass fed butter can sub in for the coconut oil and palm shortening.  Vegan butter will also work well.  

Nutrition

Calories: 333kcal

Carbohydrates: 31g

Protein: 2g

Fat: 22g

Saturated Fat: 16g

Cholesterol: 46mg

Sodium: 155mg

Potassium: 208mg

Fiber: 3g

Sugar: 13g

Vitamin A: 3505IU

Vitamin C: 1.6mg

Calcium: 53mg

Iron: 1mg

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What I Used To Make My Carrot Cake Cupcakes:

Want More Paleo and Nut Free Baking Recipes?  Try One of These!

Creamy Lemon Bars

Pineapple Carrot Cake Bread

Coconut Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies

Paleo Chocolate Chip Muffins

Double Chocolate Chip Banana Bread 

Cassava Flour Blueberry Muffins

Banana Blueberry Breakfast Bread