This is my version of carrot cake with an Italian twist. And boy are these good.
Instead of your typical walnuts or coconut (which I also really really love), this carrot cupcake batter is studded with pistachios and golden raisins. These cakes are topped off with rich, creamy and not-too-sweet cream cheese-mascarpone frosting, and a light dusting of pistachios so you get a hint of what’s inside.
I did my research and tested this recipe not once, not twice but three times in a 12 hour period. There are a heck of a lot of cupcakes in my freezer now. On the bright side (not that there’s anything wrong with a freezer full of cupcakes), this recipe is now amazing. These carrot cupcakes are super moist, not too dense and have just the right amount of sweetness. Ask my coworkers if you don’t trust me. Hope you give ’em a try!
Carrot Cupcakes with Cream Cheese-Mascarpone Frosting
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 12 cupcakes 1x
Description
This is my version of carrot cake with an Italian twist. The batter is studded with pistachios and golden raisins, and the frosting is made with a combination of cream cheese and rich mascarpone.
Ingredients
Cupcakes:
- 1 ¼ cups flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp kosher salt, heaping
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- 1 pinch ground cloves
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- ¼ cup buttermilk or substitute*
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¾ cup canola or vegetable oil
- 1 ½ cup grated carrot (about 3–4 carrots)
- ½ cup golden raisins
- ⅓ cup roasted pistachios, roughly chopped, plus 2T, finely chopped
Frosting:
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 4 oz mascarpone cheese, softened
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven & prep pan: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line or grease a standard cupcake pan.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, shift together dry ingredients (flour through cloves).
- Mix wet ingredients: In another bowl, beat together eggs and sugars until well-combined and slightly fluffy. Whisk in buttermilk and vanilla. Whisk in oil. I like to pour in the oil slowly while constantly whisking, so it’s well-emulsified. Fold in carrots, raisins and pistachios.
- Mix wet & dry: Incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients in 3 additions. Do not overmix. Fold in carrots, raisins and pistachios.
- Bake: Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, filling about ¾ of the way up. Bake on the center rack of the oven for about 16-20 minutes, rotating half-way through, or until a tooth pick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.
- Make frosting: As the cupcakes cool, use a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment to beat together the cheeses and butter over medium speed until light and fluffy. Incorporate sugar in 3 additions, starting on low and increasing speed as the sugar becomes incorporated. Stir in salt and vanilla.
- Decorate & eat: If desired, transfer frosting to a piping bag fitted with a wide, round tip. Chill in the fridge for 20-30 minutes, so the frosting holds its shape better when decorating. Pipe frosting onto cakes in a circular pattern, working from the outside in. Lightly sprinkle frosted cupcakes with the finely chopped pistachios. Enjoy.
Notes
- For a buttermilk substitute, mix together ¼ cup of regular milk with ¾ teaspoon of white vinegar and allow to sit while preparing the other ingredients.
- Prep Time: 35 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American, Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cupcake
- Calories: 456
- Sugar: 37g
- Sodium: 243mg
- Fat: 27g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Carbohydrates: 51g
- Protein: 5g
Deb, I LOVE this formula for carrot cake, and I love the maple cream cheese frosting. But in the wonderful heat that NEw England is suffering right now, I struggle with the softness of the frosting! I made a three layer cake with it and after sitting out for 30 minutes, the top layer started sliding off! Any suggestions on what to do to make it a little stiffer? THanks!
So glad you like the cake! There’s two things you can do. You can scrape the frosting off the cake, whisk more powdered sugar in (maybe add a few tablespoons at a time until you’re happier with the consistency) and then refrost the cake, OR put the cake in the fridge. Hope that helps!