Name: Carrot Cake Cupcakes
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: Nonstick cooking spray; 2 ¼ cups whole wheat pastry flour; 1 ¼ teaspoons baking powder; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon; ½ teaspoon fine sea salt; ¼ teaspoon ground allspice; ¼ teaspoon grated whole nutmeg; 1 cup chopped pecans, toasted; ½ cup golden raisins; 3 eggs, lightly beaten; 1 cup granulated sugar (see Tips); ½ cup unsweetened applesauce; ¼ cup canola oil; 2 teaspoons vanilla; 2 cups coarsely shredded carrots; 1 to 2 oranges; 1 (8 ounce) package reduced-fat cream cheese (Neufchâtel), room temperature; Dash fine sea salt; ¼ cup powdered sugar (see Tips)

Directions

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line twenty-four 2 1/2-inch muffin cups or forty-eight 1 3/4-inch muffin cups with paper bake cups. Coat bake cups with cooking spray.

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Step 2

In a large bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, allspice, and nutmeg. Add pecans and raisins; toss to coat. Make a well in center of flour mixture.
Step 3

In a medium bowl, combine eggs, granulated sugar, applesauce, oil, and 1 teaspoon of the vanilla. Add all at once to flour mixture; add carrots. Stir just until combined. Spoon about 2 Tablespoons batter into each prepared 2 1/2-inch muffin cup or about 1 Tablespoon batter into each prepared 1 3/4-inch muffin cup.
Step 4

Bake 15 minutes for 2 1/2-inch cups, 10 minutes for 1 3/4-inch cups, or until a toothpick comes out clean and sides start to pull away from pans. Cool in pans on wire racks 5 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pans; cool completely on racks.
Step 5

Meanwhile, for frosting, remove zest and squeeze 1/4 cup juice from one of the oranges. In a medium bowl beat cream cheese with a mixer on medium 30 seconds. Beat in orange zest and juice, remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla, and dash salt. Beat in powdered sugar until smooth.
Step 6

If desired, remove zest from remaining orange. Top cupcakes with frosting and orange zest.

Tips

Tips: If using granulated sugar substitute, choose Splenda(R) Sugar Blend. Follow package directions to use product amount equivalent to 1 cup granulated sugar. Per serving with substitute: Same as below, except 170 calories, 20 grams carbohydrate (9 grams sugars).

Tips

We do not recommend using a sugar substitute for the powdered sugar.

Tips

To make ahead: Store in an airtight container in refrigerator up to 3 days.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 regular or 2 mini cupcakes

Per Serving:

182 calories; protein 3.4g; carbohydrates 24g; dietary fiber 2.5g; sugars 13.4g; fat 8.5g; saturated fat 1.9g; cholesterol 30.2mg; vitamin a iu 1655.6IU; vitamin c 2.5mg; folate 8.2mcg; calcium 39.1mg; iron 0.4mg; magnesium 10.2mg; potassium 107.7mg; sodium 176.9mg.

Exchanges:

1 1/2 fat, 1 starch, 1/2 other carbohydrate

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Ingredients

Directions

Tips

Tips

Tips

Nutrition Facts

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Ingredients

Directions

Tips

Tips

Tips

Nutrition Facts