Carrot Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Filling

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Do you get together with family or friends for potluck dinners?

Is there a specific dish that you are asked to bring … frequently?

The hubby’s family always wants me to bring Carrot Cake.

They even request it for Thanksgiving … I believe that there is a law which mandates pie (not carrot cake) be served on Thanksgiving 😉

Carrot Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Filling

So, this past weekend I took my usual Carrot Cake … with a twist … the cream cheese is on the inside … no frosting on top!

Cream Cheese Filling with Raisins

CARROT CUPCAKES WITH CREAM CHEESE FILLING

For the cake –

  • 1 cup canola oil
  • 1-1/2 cups sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 1-1/2 cups unbleached flour (or all-purpose)
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 2-1/2 cups shredded carrots
  • 1 – 8 ounce can crushed pineapple in juice (drained)

For the filling – 

  • 1 – 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened (I used light)
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup raisins
  • 1 cup coarsely chopped pecans
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.  Line cupcake pans with paper liners (24).
  2. Make the cake batter – In a large mixing bowl beat oil, 1-1/2 cups sugar and 3 eggs together well.
  3. In a separate bowl sift or whisk together the flour, salt, cinnamon and baking soda.  Add dry ingredients to egg mixture and beat together.
  4. Add carrots, pineapple and mix well.
  5. Pour into prepared cupcake pans.
  6. Make the filling – In a medium bowl beat cream cheese and 1/3 sugar until creamy.
  7. Add 1 egg, raisins  and mix well.  Spoon on top of cupcake batter.
  8. Sprinkle each cupcake with nuts.
  9. Bake 30-35 minutes.  Cool completely.  Makes 24 cupcakes

Carrot cupcakes

THE CARROTS …

Beth at Hungry Happenings made the cutest little carrots with Almond m&m’s and Mike & Ike’s.  I intended to copy her and place them on my carrot cupcakes Saturday evening.  I went to the grocery store Saturday morning … no Almond m&m’s !!!  So, I bought Peanut m&m’s … resulting in short plump carrots.

m&m carrots

Use kitchen shears to cut a green Mike & Ike candy in half and snip the rounded end.  Place the sticky end on the m&m!

Carrot Cupcake Cream Cheese

Visit Hungry Happenings to check out the carrots and more detailed instructions.

The Peanut m&m’s were purchased in an m&m emergency.  I picked out all the orange ones for the carrots.  Then I quickly divided up the remaining m&m’s and gave them away, so that they wouldn’t jump in my mouth! Sunday morning is when the idea for the chicks popped in my head.  I quickly found the bags of the m&m’s that were intended for the hubby and Son#2 … stole the yellow m&m’s … please don’t tell them 😉

What dish do you like to take to potlucks?

  ♦ I link up at these fun parties! ♦

24 thoughts on “Carrot Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Filling”

  2. I’m so happy you were inspired to add the candy carrots to your cupcakes. The peanut M&M’s were a good substitute for the almond ones and they look great on top of your mini cakes. Thanks for sharing the idea with your readers!!!

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  7. I’m not a big hand of icing but do enjoy my cream cheese and these sound perfect and will be perfect for my taste buds.
    Thank U 4 the recipe.
    Think I will use fondant when it comes to making my carrots tho or using orange jelly beans;cutinng a slit on top and inserting piece of green whip candy for grass. I think a person can also buy candy ‘grass’ at Target.
    ColleenB.

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  9. Love the idea of the filling instead of frosting, Brenda. About dividing M&Ms: I bought some and sorted them by colors (yellow for the chicks, other colors for other potential projects). Oh shoot, someone ate them all!

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