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Hi Bold Bakers!
Just in time for spring, I have the most lovely recipe for Gluten-Free Carrot Cake Cupcakes for you! As you all know, I am all about taking classic desserts and updating them to be not just delicious, but nutritious too!
Full of freshly grated carrot, sweet raisins, and toasted coconut, my cupcakes have all the best parts of a homemade carrot cake but zero (ZERO) refined sugar. Top them off with my Sugar-Free “cream cheese” frosting and get ready to be very popular this spring!
Can You Make Your Carrot Cake Cupcakes Recipe Vegan?
My Gluten-Free Carrot Cake Cupcake recipe does have a few eggs but can be made with a flax or chia egg instead. This would make these cupcakes free of any animal products, perfect for a vegan baker.
Download my 7 Best Egg Substitutes chart.
Can I Make The Frosting Without Greek Yogurt?
Equally as important as the cupcake is the frosting. Traditionally, carrot cake is served with a cream cheese frosting, as the tangy cream cheese goes really well with the sweet earthy carrots.
Since cream cheese frosting can be heavy and full of sugar, I’ve created this super-rich alternative. This frosting combines coconut cream, full-fat Greek yogurt, and my favorite sugar substitute. The result is rich, with the right amount of tang. If you don’t want to use Greek yogurt you can always leave it out for just a lovely coconut cream frosting. Or, you can use coconut yogurt which would make it totally vegan.
What Can I Add To My Carrot Cake Cupcakes?
When I think of carrot cake, I always think raisins and coconut, but there are so many variations. If you usually add pineapple and nuts to your carrot cake, feel free to add that in here too. I also love to add pecan or walnuts, it really is up to you and your taste, be creative and have fun with this part!
Can I Make These Into A Loaf Cake?
This batter is super versatile and can be made into a 9 x 5-inch loaf cake, or even an 8 x 8 square. For this, it might require 5-10 more minutes of bake time. If you do make the cake into one of these other shapes I suggest baking it for 25-35 minutes and keeping an eye on it as the bake time will vary.
How to Store Gluten-Free Carrot Cake Cupcakes
My Gluten-Free Carrot Cake Cupcakes are lovely and moist even a few days later, thanks to the freshly grated carrot. To store any leftover cupcakes cover them and keep them in the fridge for 3-4 days.
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Gluten-Free Carrot Cake Cupcakes Recipe (Refined Sugar Free)
Ingredients
Gluten-Free Carrot Cake Cupcakes
- 1 1/4 cups (5oz/142g) almond flour
- 2 tablespoons coconut flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger
- 2 eggs*
- 1/3 cup (2 ½ floz/71ml) coconut oil, melted
- 1/3 cup + 2 tablespoons (3floz/108ml) Lakanto Maple Syrup, maple syrup, or honey
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2/3 cup (3⅓oz/94g) carrot, finely grated
- 1/4 cup (1¼oz/35g) raisins
- 1/4 cup (¾oz/21g) toasted coconut
Sugar Free "Cream Cheese" Frosting:
- 1/2 can coconut cream, or 1/2 the coconut cream skimmed off the top of a can of coconut milk, cold
- 1/4 cup (2oz/57g) full fat Greek yogurt, or coconut yogurt
- 1/4 cup (2oz/57g) lakanto sugar substitute, swerve or coconut sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Instructions
For the Gluten-Free Carrot Cake Cupcakes:
- Pre-heat the oven to 350°F (180°C) then line a cupcake tin with 10 liners, set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the almond flour, coconut flour, salt, baking soda, and spices.
- In a separate jug combine the eggs, coconut oil, Lakanto maple syrup, and vanilla.
- Mix the wet into the dry until you have a smooth batter.
- Lastly, fold in the grated carrot, raisins, and coconut.
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cupcake tin.
- Bake the cupcakes for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcake comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool fully.
For the Sugar Free "Cream Cheese" Frosting:
- In a large bowl whip the cold coconut cream until light and fluffy.
- Add the yogurt, lakanto sugar and vanilla then continue to mix until everything is evenly combined and creamy.
- Allow the frosting to chill in the fridge until using. This frosting is perfect for dolloping and spreading, I would not suggest trying to pipe it.
- Once the cupcakes have fully cooled dollop the frosting, then swirl the top with an offset spatula.
- Garnish with additional toasted coconut and a dusting of cinnamon if desired. Enjoy!
- Cover and store the cupcakes in the fridge for 3-4 days. Un-frosted cupcakes can be made ahead of time and frozen for up to 3 weeks. To thaw allow to defrost at room temperature. Once defrosted top with frosting and serve.
Hello Again Gemma,
Could you recommend alternatives for the 2 Tbs coconut flour, 1/3 cup coconut oil, and ¼ cup toasted coconut because the recipient of these cupcakes has coconut dietary restrictions?
These are so friggin’ good we ate
All the first double batch and now I have to make more. I used honey and you can get a hint of it comking through.
Made these cupcakes yesterday for a meet-up with my former colleagues. I added chopped walnuts & pecans instead of the toasted coconut. Made the cream cheese frosting too. I love the texture & taste. My friends also enjoyed the cupcakes. Thanks for sharing the recipe!
I have been looking for this recipe for thirty years! The Laura Secord Bakery in the Scarborough, Toronto, Ontario Mall made a delicious carrot cake just like this, not gummy, like so many a carrot cake; but just sweet enough, toasty, and flavorful. Thank you!
Hi Gemma,
I made these cupcakes a while back and they turned out amazing! I made it using homemade almond flour, oat flour instead of the coconut flour, honey, and I used flax eggs. It was great! My only thing was that I found it a bit too oily, so I made it again yesterday, and reduced the amount of oil. It was absolutely perfect!!! My dad couldn’t believe that it was refined sugar-free. Thank you! Will definitely be making this often.
Hi Gemma..
Love your recipes and videos..
Been following for a while now…
I tried this recipe… they were yum..my family loved them.. Thanks to you and Olivia…
Could you please share the recipe for Eclairs..would love to try and make some.
Thank you..Jess
I’ve made these 3 times now and they are delicious! My first 2 times I wasn’t able to find confectioners swerve and had to use granulated, and the icing wasn’t great. I finally got my hands on the confectioners and they were perfect! Thanks for healthy alternatives!
Hi my name is Katie and I’ve been a coeliac for most of my life as well as having type 1 diabetes 1 question is it really that easy to make
Hello Gemma,
The recipe looks super easy and I would like to try it but what other ingredients I can use to replace the coconut oil, coconut powder and coconut cream? If someone can’t eat the coconut is there a way to replace it with vegetable oil like canola etc…., more almond flower (or corn starch/ corn flour etc…) and labna or extra Greek yogurt for the icing?
Appreciate your feedback:)
Best,
Honey
I will be trying these cupcakes all through the video I kept wanting to flip her hair behind her shoulders