Easter Basket Carrot Cupcakes

These cute Easter Basket Carrot Cupcakes with cream cheese frosting are decorated like Easter baskets using green-colored coconut and mini Easter egg candies. For more fun dessert ideas, try these Pink Lemonade Thumbprint Cookies.

Ingredient List

For the cupcakes:

1 cup granulated sugar
¾ cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1 cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
1 ½ cup fresh grated carrots, loosely packed

For the easter basket topping:

16-ounce container cream cheese frosting
¾ cup sweetened coconut flakes
4-6 drops green food coloring
36 mini Easter egg candies, for garnish

Instructions

For the cupcakes

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line standard-size muffin pan with paper or silicone cupcake liners.
In bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle, cream together the sugar, oil and eggs.
Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; mix well.
Stir in carrots.
Spoon into prepared muffin pan, filling each cup about ¾ full. Bake 22-25 minutes or until tester is clean.
Cool in pan on wire rack for 15 minutes. Gently remove from pan and cool completely on wire rack.

To decorate as easter baskets

Frost the tops of cooled cupcakes using a knife or a piping bag.
Gently mix food coloring with coconut flakes to reach the desired color. Sprinkle on cupcakes and gently press down into frosting.
Arrange candies on top of coconut “grass” for a fun Easter dessert!
NUTRITION INFORMATION PER SERVING (1 CUPCAKE, 111g): 450 calories, 210 calories from fat, 24g total fat, 6g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, 30mg cholesterol, 270mg sodium, 57g total carbohydrate, 1g dietary fiber, 43g sugars, 3g protein, 28mcg folate, 1mg vitamin C, 1mg iron.

Helpful hints:

1. Try homemade cream cheese frosting instead of store bought if you choose.
2. For larger pieces of carrot, use a grater; for finer pieces of carrot, use a food processor.
Check out these other fun Easter ideas:

Instructions

Step 1 of

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line standard-size muffin pan with paper or silicone cupcake liners.
In bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle, cream together the sugar, oil and eggs.
Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; mix well.
Stir in carrots.
Spoon into prepared muffin pan, filling each cup about ¾ full. Bake 22-25 minutes or until tester is clean.
Cool in pan on wire rack for 15 minutes. Gently remove from pan and cool completely on wire rack.
Frost the tops of cooled cupcakes using a knife or a piping bag.
Gently mix food coloring with coconut flakes to reach the desired color. Sprinkle on cupcakes and gently press down into frosting.
Arrange candies on top of coconut “grass” for a fun Easter dessert!
NUTRITION INFORMATION PER SERVING (1 CUPCAKE, 111g): 450 calories, 210 calories from fat, 24g total fat, 6g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, 30mg cholesterol, 270mg sodium, 57g total carbohydrate, 1g dietary fiber, 43g sugars, 3g protein, 28mcg folate, 1mg vitamin C, 1mg iron.
1. Try homemade cream cheese frosting instead of store bought if you choose.
2. For larger pieces of carrot, use a grater; for finer pieces of carrot, use a food processor.
Check out these other fun Easter ideas: