These pumpkin carrot cake cupcakes are the perfect addition to your holiday baking.

Since fall is my favorite season, y’all know I had to bake a few fall recipes to share. The first one I tried didn’t turn out so well. So I won’t be sharing it with you until I make another attempt, if I ever do.

But this recipe was a total success. I love carrot cake. Love it. But add a little pumpkin in there and you will forever have my heart. I made a carrot cake recipe a few months ago on a whim that I really enjoyed, so I took that recipe and modified it a bit to add the pumpkin and the filling. These pumpkin carrot cake cupcakes are rocking my socks off this week!

I’ll be honest with you, I don’t love doing filled cupcakes. I always worry that they won’t turn out right, or I’ll mess something up. But I really wanted to give these a try. Plus, my girl was requesting them soooo…..I didn’t really have a choice.

And this filling is the perfect consistency that adds just a bit of the pumpkin spice flavor. Add the cream cheese frosting and you have a yummy, melt in your mouth fall cupcake.

Pumpkin Carrot Cake Cupcakes {with pumpkin spice filling & cream cheese frosting}

A Touch of Grace

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Ingredients

For the cake

2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
3 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 eggs room temperature
3/4 cup milk I used 2% but you could use whole milk as well
1 1/3 cups pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2/3 cup crushed pineapple drained
1 cup grated carrots
1 cup Baker's shredded coconut

For the filling

2 cups whipping cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 3.4 oz package JELL-O vanilla instant pudding
1 tablespoon JELL-O pumpkin spice instant pudding

RELATED Cranberry Champagne Lemonade

For the frosting

8 ounces cream cheese softened
1/4 cup unsalted butter softened
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2-4 teaspoons milk
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Instructions

For the cake

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin tins with cupcake liners.
In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl with a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat milk and eggs until combined.
Add in sugars, oil, pineapple, carrot and coconut and mix until well combined.
Slowly add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined.
Divide batter evenly among muffin tins, filling each cupcake liner about 3/4 of the way full.
Bake 20-25 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.
Cool in muffin tin 5 minutes then remove to wire rack to cool completely.

For the filling

Using the whisk attachment of a stand mixer (or hand mixer), start beating whipping cream on high.
Add powdered sugar and continue mixing on high.
As it just starts to thicken, add in puddings and continue to mix. Beat until it gets thicker and the puddings have been fully incorporated (no more grit).

For the frosting

Beat cream cheese and butter until combined.
Add in powdered sugar and vanilla and continue to beat until smooth and creamy.
Add milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, until you get your desired frosting consistency.
Frost cooled cupcakes then sprinkle with the chopped walnuts.

Notes

I used the food processor to grate the carrots and chop the walnuts, but you can buy pre-grated and pre-chopped walnuts at the store.
The crushed pineapple can be difficult to drain but try to get as much liquid out as you can or the cupcakes will end up too wet.
Store cupcakes in the refrigerator or cool place.

Not sure how to fill a cupcake? Check out this quick and easy to follow video from Hooosier Homemade.

Enjoy!

Comments

Jenny says: October 14, 2015 at 7:16 am

Yum!!! It’s a good thing I live so far away. Otherwise, I’d be stopping by for a cupcake this morning.
Kelli {A Deeper Joy} says: October 14, 2015 at 8:14 am

Ahhh…I think this will be my favorite one so far! Yum! Since I know you love carrot cake, you would have loved the fried carrot cake at the state fair. Don’t let the fried part fool you. I think I want to bake this weekend now!
Meg O. says: October 14, 2015 at 8:57 am

Ummmmmm I need these in my life immediately. Pinned!!!
Biana @ Blovedboston says: October 14, 2015 at 9:23 am

Oh my gosh I would devour these!!! Delicious! xo, Biana –BlovedBoston
Jaelan @ Making Mrs. M says: October 14, 2015 at 9:27 am

Ooo my mouth is watering. This is perfect for National Dessert Day!
Jennifer | The Deliberate Mom says: October 14, 2015 at 10:21 am

Oh my goodness Tiffany! These look sooooo good.

I’m definitely pinning and trying this one.

Thanks for sharing!
xoxo
Jenna @ A Savory Feast says: October 14, 2015 at 11:02 am

Oooh, pumpkin and carrot cake together? What a great idea. I bet the texture is soooo good.
Amanda Robbins says: October 14, 2015 at 12:14 pm

Yum! I can’t wait to try these – I’ve been pumpkin-obsessed lately!

xo
Amanda
http://www.fashionablyclearance.com
Chelsea @ Life With My Littles says: October 14, 2015 at 1:12 pm

Yummy! These look so good! My husband loves carrot cake, and I love pumpkin, so these would be perfect for us!
Erin @Nourishing My Scholar says: October 15, 2015 at 6:06 am

Nom, nom! These look so good! Pinning. I’m going to try making these for tea time next week. ????
Melanie says: October 15, 2015 at 8:38 am

This recipe sounds like something that I would really like! Yum! [client]
- Tiffany says: October 18, 2015 at 8:43 pm
  
  Thanks Melanie! We loved them!
Paige @ An Uncomplicated Life Blog says: October 15, 2015 at 11:18 am

I’m not kidding you, as soon as Henry gets up from nap time, we’re going to whole foods for a slice of carrot cake. It’s my birthday tomorrow dangit and mama needs cake!! These look SO good.
Jessica Dimas says: October 15, 2015 at 11:07 pm

Oh my gosh, perfect timing!! I was just looking for a pumpkin cupcake recipe, and this one looks so good! And cream cheese frosting….drooling!
Sara | mumturnedmom says: October 16, 2015 at 5:53 pm

I saw your photo on Instagram and thought these sounded lovely! I love carrot cake and pumpkin, so these do sound amazing Thanks for hosting #SHINEbloghop

Pumpkin Carrot Cake Cupcakes