Carrot Cake Cupcakes With Cream Cheese Frosting

Cupcake Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1-1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1 1/4 cup canola or vegetable oil

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 cup brown sugar (light or dark)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 large eggs

3 cups shredded/ grated carrots (5-6 medium carrots)

Optional- 1 cup walnuts or pecans

Optional- 1/2 cup raisins

Cream cheese frosting Ingredients:

8 oz cream cheese (blocks/sticks)

1/2 cup butter, room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3-4 cups powdered sugar

Directions: Yield 24 cupcakes

Cupcakes:

-Preheat oven to 350 F degrees

-Line two 12 cup muffin tins with cupcake liners

-In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg

-In a large bowl, whisk together oil, sugars, and vanilla. Whisk in eggs one at a time until mixture is well blended

-Add dry ingredient mixture to wet ingredients and mix until smooth

-Stir in carrots and optional nuts/raisins

-Spoon batter into prepared tins 3/4 full

-Bake 15-20 minutes, until cupcakes are springy to touch, or a toothpick can be inserted and comes out clean

-Cool on cooling rack 15-20 minutes

-Frost or leave plain

-Enjoy!

Cream Cheese Frosting:

-Mix cream cheese and butter together until smooth

-Beat in vanilla and slowly add in powder sugar one cup at a time until desired consistency is reached (more powdered sugar means thicker frosting)

-Pipe or spread frosting on cupcakes once cupcakes are cooled

-Enjoy!

*Recipe tips:

-I find that carrots are best shredded into thick but short pieces. Long shreds can clump and leave a stringy texture.

-If cream cheese frosting is too thick, add a dash of water or milk to make it thinner.