Mini Carrot Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Icing
Carrot Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Icing
ingredients
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
3 large eggs
3/4 cup vegetable of sunflower oil
1/3 cup applesauce
1 1/2 cups coarsely grated carrot
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
Frosting:
3oz cream cheese, at room temperature
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cups icing sugar
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts (for garnish)
method
Preheat oven to 350° F. Coat 12 muffin cups with vegetable oil spray and line with cupcake liners. (Don't skip the liners of you'll have trouble getting them out!)
Stir the flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt together in a medium bowl. Mix the granulated and brown sugars, eggs, oil and applesauce in a medium bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until combined, about 1 minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to low. Mix in the flour and then the carrot, raisins and walnuts. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups.
Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool the cupcakes for 5 minutes. Remove from the muffin tray and transfer to a wire cooling rack and cool completely.
To make the icing, beat the cream cheese, butter, lemon juice and vanilla with an electric mixer on high speed until well combined. Reduce the mixer speed to low. Gradually add the icing sugar to make a smooth icing.
Spread the icing over the cupcakes. Sprinkle with chopped walnuts, pressing walnuts gently into the icing so they adhere.
NOTE: These cupcakes are best once they've cooled completely and have had a chance to let their flavours develop.
http://www.fortysomething.ca/2008/09/carrot_cupcakes_with_cream_che.php