Ingredients
Scale
**For the Cupcakes:**
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour (313 g, spooned and leveled)
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground allspice
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter (140 g, softened)
- 1 cup granulated white sugar (200 g)
- ½ cup light brown sugar (110 g, packed)
- 3 eggs (at room temperature)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract
- ¾ cup buttermilk (178 ml, at room temperature)
- 2 cups finely shredded carrots (220 g, at room temperature)
**For the Cream Cheese Frosting:**
- 1 cup unsalted butter (224 g, softened)
- 8 oz cream cheese (226 g, cold)
- 4 cups powdered sugar (520 g)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract
Instructions
**For the Cupcakes:**
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two cupcake pans with 24 liners.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter, granulated sugar, and light brown sugar with an electric mixer on high speed until fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add in the eggs and vanilla, and mix on medium-high speed until smooth, pale, and slightly fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Alternate adding the flour mixture and buttermilk to the butter mixture, a little at a time, mixing on low then medium speed until just combined and smooth.
- Fold in the grated carrots on low speed until evenly distributed.
- Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake liners, filling each about three-quarters full.
- Bake for 19-22 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean from the centers. Let the cupcakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
**For the Cream Cheese Frosting:**
- In a large bowl, whip the butter on high speed with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy, about 5-10 minutes.
- Add in the cold cream cheese and mix on medium-high speed until thoroughly combined, about 1-2 minutes.
- Gradually sift in the powdered sugar, mixing on low then medium speed until fully combined.
- Add in the vanilla and mix on high speed until the frosting is light and fluffy, about 1-2 more minutes.
- Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a decorative tip.
**Assembling the Cupcakes:**
- Once the cupcakes are completely cooled, pipe a generous amount of cream cheese frosting onto each cupcake.
- Sprinkle with chopped walnuts if desired.
- Serve and enjoy!