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

Author: A Touch of Grace

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

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.