Fresh Carrots - Do not use pre-shredded or cut carrots! Use fresh carrots and grate and roughly chop them for a moist and tender texture. Fresh carrots contribute natural sweetness and moisture to the cake. Grating AND chopping the carrots roughly ensures that every bite of the cake contains a bit of carrot.

Using Vegetable Oil & Butter - Vegetable oil adds crucial moisture to the cupcake batter, ensuring the cupcakes remain soft and moist, preventing any dryness during baking. On the other hand, butter introduces a richer flavour, however, sometimes resulting in cupcakes that are less soft compared to those made with alternative fats such as vegetable oil. That's precisely why this recipe combines both vegetable oil and butter!

Room Temp Cream Cheese & Butter - Using room temperature butter and cream cheese ensures a creamy, lump-free, and well-blended cream cheese frosting. When these ingredients are soft, there's less need to overmix the frosting to achieve a smooth consistency - overmixing can lead to a runny or grainy texture.

Adding in Nuts - These additions provide texture and a great contrast to the cake's softness. Toasting the nuts beforehand can also intensify their flavour.

Avoid Overmixing - Mix the batter until just combined after adding the dry ingredients. Overmixing can result in a dense and heavy cake. Mix only until there are no visible streaks of flour.

Applesauce - This enhances the overall taste of the cake and adds moisture to the carrot cake, ensuring it stays soft and moist. Applesauce also brings natural sweetness to the cake without the need for extra sugar.