5 from 2 votes

Carrot Cake Cups

Carrot Cake Cups have an incredibly sweet and delicious cream cheese filling. Top with some raisins, shredded carrots or crumbles of nuts and dive in. 

A carrot cake cup on a plate.

I could eat cream cheese icing right out of the bowl. Forget the cake and cupcakes – just gimme the icing! Don’t worry I held myself back. I knew it would taste even better inside a moist and sweet carrot cake cup!

This recipe is made from a doctored box of carrot cake mix. I only have a couple of months left before my stash of cake mix expires so I’m using them up in recipes. I also added in raisins to the cake cup batter, but you could omit them if raisins aren’t your thing. Try my Classic Carrot Cake recipe as well! 

Ingredients

  • Carrot cake mix
  • Eggs
  • Salted butter
  • Raisins
  • Cream cheese
  • Sweetened condensed milk
  • Vanilla extract
  • Cinnamon
  • Nutmeg
  • Grated carrot
Carrot cake cups ingredients.

How to Make Carrot Cake Cups

  • Step One: Preheat oven to 350F. Spray a muffin tin with cooking spray.
  • Step Two: In a mixing bowl, stir together cake mix, butter, raisins and eggs.
Steps to make carrot cake cups.
  • Step Three: Take about a 1 tablespoon of dough and press it into the muffin tin. Make sure to not make it too thick or it won’t cook entirely in the center.
  • Step Four: Place in oven for about 7 minutes. Remove from oven and poke the center with a spoon to create your cup. Put the cake cups back in the oven for another 5 minutes and then repeat the process to create your cup.
  • Step Five: Place back in the oven for another 5 minutes. They should be almost ready by now. Remove from the oven and use the spoon again to poke the center to make it cup-shaped. Put back in the oven for another 5 if needed.
  • Step Six: Remove from oven and let cool.
Steps to make carrot cake cups.
  • Step Seven: In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla extract, cinnamon and nutmeg until smooth. Spoon into the cake cups filling them to the top.
  • Step Eight: Garnish with raisins, cinnamon and grated carrot, if desired.
Steps to make carrot cake cups.

When to Serve Carrot Cake Cups

  • Holiday Parties
  • Potluck Events
  • Bake Sales
  • Birthday Parties 
  • After-school snack 
  • Dinner Dessert

Cream Cheese Filling

The filling is the best part. It’s that amazing and perfectly sweet cream cheese filling. I added cinnamon and nutmeg to complement the flavours of the carrot cake cup. Top with a few raisins and some shredded carrot if you like.

A hand holding a carrot cake cup.

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    These guys went really quickly at my home.  If you want a super easy dessert that tastes like it took awhile, trick your family and friends with these easy cake cups. 

    Dressing up Boxed Cake Mix 

    If you are hesitant to use a boxed cake mix, don’t be. This will help you save time prepping but still give you a homemade flavor since you dress up the cake mix. This Carrot Cake Cup is delightful. Spices, carrot flavor, raisins and more in each bite. 

    Do You Have to Peel Carrots for Carrot Cake 

    If you are wanting to add the carrot shavings on top of the cake cups I would recommend peeling them first. You technically don’t have to, but you will find peeling the carrots will offer a bolder color of orange. Now, if you toss carrots into the cake batter, you do not have to peel them first, just wash to remove dirt and debris. 

    A carrot cake cup on a plate.

    How to Store Carrot Cake Muffin Cups 

    You will want to store your cake cups in the refrigerator. The cream cheese filling will go bad if they are left on the counter. So place in an airtight container and store for up to a week in the fridge. 

    Can You Freeze Carrot Cake Cups 

    Yes, you can. Allow your cups to cool and then place them in an airtight container. Freeze for up to three months. Then when you want one let it thaw or place in the fridge for a slow thaw. Then serve up and enjoy. I do this for a sweet treat when I get to craving something sweet. It is a perfect pick me up. 

    A carrot cake cup cut in half on a plate.

    Can I Mix in Carrots to Cake Cup Batter 

    Sure if you want tender fresh carrots to make it taste more homemade feel free to grate your carrots and then toss them in the batter. I would do around 1/2 cup of grated carrots to the batter. Then bake up as accordingly. 

    Want More Cake Cup Recipes

    • Cherry Cake Cup | This is a really tasty one to whip up if you love cherry. A cherry chip cake with a dollop of cherry pie filling in the center. 
    • Caramel Apple Cake Cups | If you love apples and caramel you will do backflips over this recipe. A tender cake with an apple and caramel filling. 
    • Pumpkin Spice Cake Cups | Love pumpkin? If you say yes, add this one to your recipe list. You only need a few ingredients for this tender pumpkin spice cake that is filled with a pumpkin spice filling. 

    So what are you waiting for? Give this carrot cake dessert a try and let me know what you think. It is one I have been making for quite a while now. My family and friends always look forward to seeing the platter of cake cups. 

    A carrot cake cup cut in half on a plate.

    Have you tried your carrot cake in a cup?

    You’ll also like these Peanut Butter Cookie Cups and Carrot Cake Loaf.

    5 from 2 votes

    Carrot Cake Cups

    Created by Stacie Vaughan
    Servings 10
    Prep Time 10 minutes
    Cook Time 22 minutes
    Total Time 32 minutes
    The perfect fall dessert! These delightful cake cups are filled with cream cheese frosting for one decadent bite.

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 box carrot cake mix
    • 2 large eggs
    • ½ cup salted butter softened
    • ¼ cup raisins plus extra for garnish
    • 1 package cream cheese 8oz/250g package, softened
    • cup sweetened condensed milk
    • 1 tsp vanilla extract
    • ½ tsp cinnamon plus extra for garnish
    • ¼ tsp nutmeg
    • 1 tsp grated carrot for garnish, if desired

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a muffin tin with cooking spray.
    • In a mixing bowl, stir together cake mix, butter, raisins and eggs.
    • Take about a 1 tablespoon of dough and press it into the muffin tin. Make sure to not make it too thick or it won’t cook entirely in the center.
    • Place in oven for about 7 minutes. Remove from oven and poke the center with a spoon to create your cup. Put the cake cups back in the oven for another 5 minutes and then repeat the process to create your cup.
    • Place back in the oven for another 5 minutes. They should be almost ready by now. Remove from the oven and use the spoon again to poke the center to make it cup-shaped. Put back in the oven for another 5 if needed.
    • Remove from oven and let cool.
    • In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla extract, cinnamon and nutmeg until smooth. Spoon into the cake cups filling them to the top.
    • Garnish with raisins, cinnamon and grated carrot, if desired.
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    Nutrition

    Serving: 1g | Calories: 243kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 80mg | Sodium: 164mg | Sugar: 19g

    The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

    Course Desserts
    Cuisine American
    Keyword Carrot Cake Cups

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    5 from 2 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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    23 Comments

    1. Patricia Cygan says:

      Can this be made in cake form instead of all the work involved in muffins?

      1. You could make it as a cake, but I’m not sure how that would work with the filling. It probably wouldn’t be the same kind of recipe.

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