These Sourdough Carrot Cupcakes are everything you love about a classic carrot cake—moist, spiced, and finished with a tangy cream cheese frosting—but with the added depth (and usefulness!) of your sourdough starter. It’s a great way to repurpose your sourdough discard into something sweet, soft, and genuinely satisfying.
Preheat the oven to 170°C (340℉). Line a 12-hole muffin tin with cupcake liners.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk one whole egg, 2 egg yolks, sugar and sourdough starter together. Set the remaining two egg whites aside.
Little by little, add the oil, and keep whisking until it's fully incorporated.
In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and mixed spice.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix just enough to combine.
Add the grated carrots, nuts, coconut and sultanas and mix again to incorporate.
In a separate bowl, whisk reserved egg whites to stiff peaks.
Mix the egg whites gently, ⅓ at a time, attempting to keep some of the air in the mixture.
Spoon the mixture into the prepared cupcake liners, and place in the preheated oven for 20-22 minutes.
Once baked, a wooden skewer inserted into the middle should come out clean.
Leave the cupcakes to cool down completely.
Frosting
When your sourdough carrot cupcakes have cooled down to room temperature, prepare the frosting.
In a bowl or a large jug, beat the softened butter, icing sugar and honey using an electric handheld mixer until very light and fluffy.
Add ⅓ of the cream cheese and beat again until smooth and well combined. Scrape the sides of the bowl to ensure no butter is clinging to the sides.
Add the rest of the cream cheese and beat again until you have a smooth creamy frosting. If it's not holding shape, a short chill time will help with consistency before piping.
Pipe the frosting on top of each cupcake, and enjoy!