Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
These jumbo carrot cake cupcakes are deliciously moist and flavored with lots of warm spices. The homemade cream cheese frosting makes them taste just like the cake!
all-purpose flour
2
cups
ground cinnamon
1
tablespoon
baking soda
2
teaspoons
baking powder
2
teaspoons
ground allspice
½
teaspoon
salt
½
teaspoon
ground nutmeg
½
teaspoon
ground cloves (Optional)
⅛
teaspoon
dark brown sugar
1 ½
cups
sour cream
¾
cup
white sugar
½
cup
vegetable oil
½
cup
eggs
4
large
vanilla extract
2
teaspoons
freshly grated carrots
3
cups
chopped pecans (Optional)
1
cup
cream cheese, softened
1
(8 ounce) package
unsalted butter, softened
½
cup
vanilla extract
2
teaspoons
lemon juice
2
teaspoons
confectioners' sugar, or to taste
2
cups
 Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line 18 muffin cups with paper liners.
  Sift flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, allspice, salt, nutmeg, and cloves together in a large mixing bowl.
  Mix brown sugar, sour cream, white sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla together until smooth; add to flour mixture and stir until just combined. Stir in carrots, then fold in pecans. Divide batter evenly between the prepared muffin cups, filling 2/3 full.
  Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 17 to 20 minutes. Cool in the tin for 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely, about 20 minutes.
  To make the frosting: Beat cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and lemon juice in a mixing bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Add confectioners' sugar, a bit a time, until smooth and desired sweetness is achieved. Spread onto cooled cupcakes.
