Best Maple Sweetened Carrot Cupcakes Recipes

CARROT CUPCAKES

Carrot Cupcakes image

To try to get my family to eat more vegetables, I often "hide" nutritional foods inside sweet treats. The carrots add wonderful moistness to these cupcakes, which have a rich cream cheese frosting. Now we can have our cake and eat our vegetables, too! -Doreen Kelly, Rosyln, Pennsylvania

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories Desserts

Time 35m

Yield 2 dozen.

Number Of Ingredients 17

Ingredients

4 large eggs, room temperature
2 cups sugar
1 cup canola oil
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups grated carrots
CHUNKY FROSTING:
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup chopped raisins

Steps:

Preheat oven to 325°. In a large bowl, beat the eggs, sugar and oil. Combine the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, allspice and salt; gradually add to egg mixture. Stir in carrots. , Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 20-25 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. , For frosting, in a large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until smooth. Stir in the coconut, pecans and raisins. Frost cupcakes. Store in the refrigerator.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 326 calories, Fat 18g fat (5g saturated fat), Cholesterol 51mg cholesterol, Sodium 187mg sodium, Carbohydrate 40g carbohydrate (30g sugars, Fiber 1g fiber), Protein 3g protein.

MAPLE-SWEETENED CARROT CUPCAKES

Maple-Sweetened Carrot Cupcakes image

Categories Cake Bake Carrot Healthy Pastry

Yield makes 12 standard and 24 mini

Number Of Ingredients 17

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 cup pure maple syrup, preferably grade B
1/3 cup unsulfured molasses
1 cup safflower or canola oil
1 teaspoon apple-cider vinegar
5 large egg yolks
2 cups peeled, grated carrots (4 to 5 medium)
Maple Cream-Cheese Frosting (recipe follows)
Candied Carrot Chips (page 322)
Maple Cream-Cheese Frosting
1 pound cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup pure maple syrup, preferably Grade B
(makes enough for 12 standard and 24 mini cupcakes)

Steps:

Preheat oven to 375°F. Line standard and mini muffin tins with paper liners. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. In another bowl, whisk together maple syrup, molasses, oil, vinegar, and egg yolks until smooth. Add to flour mixture, and whisk until combined. Stir in carrots.
Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until dark golden brown and a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, 10 to 12 minutes for mini, about 18 minutes for standard. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool completely before removing cupcakes. Cupcakes can be stored up to 3 days at room temperature, or frozen up to 1 month, in airtight containers.
To finish, fill a pastry bag fitted with a small plain tip (#7) with frosting. Starting in the center and working out in circles, pipe dots all over larger cupcakes to cover. Pipe a dot in center of each mini cupcake, then top with a carrot chip. Serve immediately.
Maple Cream-Cheese Frosting
With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Add maple syrup, and beat until combined. Use immediately, or refrigerate up to 3 days in an airtight container; bring to room temperature and stir until smooth before using.