Desserts
Zucchini Cupcakes with Caramel Frosting
Zucchini Cupcakes with Caramel Frosting are delicious and moist with a few mini chocolate chips added into the batter. On
- Serves 18
- Prep 15 minutes
- Cook 25 minutes
- Total 40 minutes
From Scratch Batter
The from scratch cupcake batter is flavored with cinnamon, cloves, a little almond extract, and some orange juice.
One and a half cups of shredded zucchini help keep the cupcakes moist and add some nutrition. The cupcakes are light and tender with some sweetness, but not too much.
Caramel Frosting
Most of the sweetness comes from the really sweet caramel frosting. It has lots of brown sugar and you will have a hard time not just eating it by the spoonful.
A cream cheese frosting goes great with zucchini cake or cupcakes, but I really love this easy caramel frosting even more.
How Best To Shred Zucchini
To shred zucchini for this recipe, either push it through a food processor or shred it on the large holes of a box grater.
Variations
- Use a cream cheese frosting instead of caramel frosting.
- Add half a cup of chopped walnuts or pecans to the batter for a little crunch.
- Instead of chocolate chips, add half a cup of toffee bits.
How To Store
Cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 4 days or frozen for up to 2 months.
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More Zucchini Recipes
- Chocolate Zucchini Bread
- Carrot Zucchini Muffins
- Zucchini Bars with Pecans and Coconut
- Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread Pancakes
- Dark Chocolate Zucchini Muffins
- Zucchini Cheesecake Bars
Originally posted June 12, 2017.
Recipe adapted from Taste of Home
Recipe
Zucchini Cupcakes with Caramel Frosting
Zucchini Cupcakes with Caramel Frosting are delicious and moist with a few mini chocolate chips added into the batter.
- Serves 18
- Prep 15 minutes
- Cook 25 minutes
- Total 40 minutes
Ingredients
- 3 large eggs
- 1 1/3 cups sugar
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 1/2 cups shredded zucchini
- 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
Frosting
- 1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar
- 10 tablespoons butter (cubed)
- 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
Instructions
- 1
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line 18 muffin cups with paper liners
- 2
Using an electric mixer, beat eggs, sugar, vegetable oil, orange juice, and almond extract until well blended.
- 3
Combine flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cloves and add to wet ingredients.
- 4
Stir in zucchini and chocolate chips.
- 5
Fill muffin cups 2/3’s full. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Cool 10 minutes and then remove from muffin tin.
- 6
To make frosting, combine brown sugar, butter, and milk in a large saucepan.
- 7
Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook, stirring frequently for about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Let cool to lukewarm.
- 8
Transfer brown sugar mixture to a mixing bowl and use an electric mixer to gradually beat in confectioners’ sugar. Continue to beat until frosting reaches spreading consistency. Spread on cupcakes.
Notes
Nutritional info is provided as an estimate only and will vary based on brands of products used.
Equipment
- Hand-held electric mixer
- Muffin Tin
Nutrition
- Calories387 kcal
- Carbohydrates62 g
- Protein4 g
- Fat15 g
- Saturated Fat6 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat4 g
- Monounsaturated Fat3 g
- Trans Fat0.3 g
- Cholesterol49 mg
- Sodium311 mg
- Potassium125 mg
- Fiber1 g
- Sugar47 g
- Vitamin A310 IU
- Vitamin C7 mg
- Calcium65 mg
- Iron1 mg
