Caribbean Carrot Cupcakes
A twist on the classic, these gluten free Caribbean Carrot Cupcakes have layers of the spices and flavors you would expect along with a little extra to add moisture and zing. A bit of pineapple, coconut and rum will take you to the Caribbean along with the vanilla and warm spices. These cupcakes are rich and loaded with flavor yet still light and fresh enough not to weigh you down.
Begin with the Cupcakes
Just like you’d expect, the cupcakes start with creaming butter and sugar together. Add in the eggs, milk, vanilla, carrots and walnuts. Finely shredded carrots are my preference because I think the flavor is more important than the texture.
The gluten free flour (I use Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 gluten free flour blend in the blue bag) can be mixed with the remaining dry ingredients and spices in a medium bowl. Then gradually added to the wet ingredients using a mixer. This tends to bring all of the ingredients together well without leaving any pockets in the batter.
Bake the Cupcakes
Transfer the batter to the lined muffin tins and in the preheated oven they go! They come out looking beautifully browned and delicious. Let them cool at room temp, then scoop about a tablespoon from the middle of each cupcake using a knife, small spoon or apple corer.
Make the Pineapple Filling
The pineapple filling is super easy to make. Just put all of the ingredients in a saucepan at the same time. Bring it to a low boil over medium high heat. Stir often to prevent it from sticking. Let most of the liquid evaporate and the sauce thicken. Then turn off the heat and let it cool to room temp.
Make the Frosting
No surprises here! In a large mixing bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer to whip the butter, coconut and vanilla. Gradually add in the powdered sugar. When it is sweet enough for your liking, turn the speed up to high and whip a bit of air into the frosting.
Assemble the Caribbean Carrot Cupcakes
Spoon the pineapple filling into each of the wells in the cupcakes, then top with frosting, garnish with crumbled reserved cupcake and a small piece of fresh pineapple or coconut if you’d like. And enjoy!
About Storage & Stuff
Caribbean Carrot Cupcakes are best the first day, but can be stored in a sealed container at room temp for 3-4 days. Refrigeration is NOT recommended because it will dry them out quickly, even when they are placed in a sealed container. Freezing for up to a month in a well sealed container is an option, then allow to thaw to room temp prior to enjoying.
More Gluten Free Cupcakes to Check Out
- Chocolate Hazelnut Cupcakes
- Vanilla Cupcakes
- Praline Cream Cupcakes
- Irish Coffee Cupcakes
- S’mores Cupcakes
Caribbean Carrot Cupcakes
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes:
- ¾ cup butter (1 1/2 sticks) (at room temp)
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 3 eggs
- ½ cup whole milk
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups finely shredded carrots
- ½ cup finely chopped walnuts (optional)
- 2 cups gluten free flour blend with xanthan gum
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
For the Pineapple Filling:
- 1 ½ cups finely diced fresh pineapple
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- ¼ cup dark rum
For the Frosting:
- 2 cups butter (4 sticks) (at room temp)
- 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract (or vanilla bean paste)
- 1-2 tbsp coconut rum (optional)
- ½ cup finely shredded sweetened coconut (more if you'd like)
- 2 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
For the Cupcakes:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line 2 muffin trays with paper liners.
- Cream the butter and sugar with a hand or stand mixer then add the eggs and beat until well combined.
- On a low speed, add the milk, vanilla, shredded carrots and optional chopped nuts until well combined.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine all dry ingredients and stir until combined well. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients using a mixer on a low speed until fully combined.
- Scoop the batter into the muffin liners, filling about ⅔ of the way. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Remove and let cool to room temp.
For the Pineapple Filling:
- While the cupcakes are baking, combine the finely diced pineapple, brown sugar and rum in a saucepan over medium high heat.
- Stir and bring to a boil. Continue stirring and let the sugar fully dissolve and the liquids reduce some. This should take about 15 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and let cool to room temp.
For the Frosting:
- In a large mixing bowl, using a hand or stand mixer, whip the softened butter with the vanilla, optional coconut rum and shredded coconut. Gradually add the powdered sugar until all is fully combined well.
- Turn the mixer to the highest speed and whip for a minute to lighten up the mixture a bit. Taste and add more powdered sugar or coconut if needed.
- Transfer the frosting into a piping bag or hack a piping bag out of a gallon storage bag and cut the corner off as the tip.
To Assemble the Caribbean Carrot Cupcakes:
- Once the cupcakes are cooled to room temp, use a small spoon, apple corer or knife to remove a small amount of cake from the top center of the cupcake. Reserve the cake pieces for another use or snacking.
- Fill the wells in the cupcakes with the cooled pineapple mixture. Top with frosting and a few pieces of pineapple filling.
