Adapted from Barefoot Contessa
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line a muffin tin with cupcake liners.
Combine sugar, oil and vanilla and beat until smooth.
Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each one.
Sift together flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt.
Add half of the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined.
Combine grated carrots and pecans in a bowl.
Add the rest of the flour to the carrot mixture and mix well.
Add carrot/flour mixture to the batter and mix until just combined.
Divide batter into the muffin tins.
Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes than reduce the oven to 350 and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
Cool the cupcakes completely before frosting.
Frost cupcakes with your favorite cream cheese frosting.