Bake These Vegan Carrot Cake Cupcakes and Your Kitchen Will Smell Like Fall

Bake These Vegan Carrot Cake Cupcakes and Your Kitchen Will Smell Like Fall

If you love fall as much as we do, you probably can’t wait for all the pumpkin pies, pumpkin spice lattes, and basically anything pumpkin. You may not think that carrot cake cupcakes could scratch that pumpkin itch, but they can! And the best part? They’re vegan, so you can have as many as you want.

The Secret Ingredient

Now, you must be wondering what makes these cupcakes vegan. The secret is mixing chickpea aquafaba and vegan butter to make the vegan buttercream that goes on top. Aquafaba is leftover water after cooking chickpeas, black beans, kidney beans, and more. It serves as a substitute for eggs, so vegans can enjoy their treats too. For this recipe, use the aquafaba from one can of chickpeas. You should get about a 3/4 cup.

The Secret Ingredient

The vegan buttercream takes quite a lot of mixing, but it will definitely be worth it. The time depends on how quickly your aquafaba mixture cools down after it has been heated with the sugar. However, do not add the vegan butter too quickly, as it will become melty instead of creamy. If this happens, you can whip it on high for about two to three minutes.

What You Need to Make the Cupcakes

Here’s everything you’ll need to make these vegan fall treats.

Ingredients for the cupcakes:

  • 1/3 cup (about 1 3/4 ounces) flax meal
  • 1/2 cup hot water (about 115°F)
  • 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 3/4 cups granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup (2 3/8 ounces) unsweetened apple sauce
  • 2 1/2 cups (about 10 7/8 ounces) all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 3 cups (12 ounces) finely grated carrots
What You Need to Make the Cupcakes

Ingredients for the vegan buttercream:

  • 3/4 cup aquafaba
  • 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
  • 3/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 1/8 teaspoon xanthan gum
  • 2 cups vegan butter, softened (about 1 pound)
  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions for Making the Cupcakes

Prepare the cupcakes

Start by preheating your oven to 325°F and set aside a 12-cup muffin tray with 12 paper cups.Then, in a medium bowl, combine the flax meal and hot water. Add brown sugar, granulated sugar, and apple sauce to the mixture and whisk again.Mix together the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, and salt in another bowl. Add the flour mixture to the flax mixture and combine while gradually adding oil. Fold in the shredded carrots and distribute them evenly. Put an even amount (⅓ cup) of batter evenly into the cups. Bake for about 40-45 minutes, and insert a wooden pick into the center of the cupcakes to make sure they are ready. Take them out of the oven and let them cool for about an hour.

Prepare the vegan buttercream

Stir the aquafaba, sugar, cream of tartar, and xanthan gum over medium-low heat for about four minutes while stirring often. Beat the mixture with a stand mixer until it gets thick and cools slightly. Reduce speed to low and gradually add the softened butter until everything combines. Add salt, lemon juice, and vanilla while the mixer is still on low speed. Increase speed to medium-high and beat until the mixture thickens and holds its shape. Apply on top of the cooled cupcakes, and you have your fall treats ready to serve.

Feel free to top these delicious cupcakes with crushed nuts or a bit of cinnamon.