Carrot Cupcakes!

When it was my birthday as a youngster, my mom would ask me what kind of birthday cake I would like and I would say...CARROT CAKE!!! I know right...a little odd for a kid! It's something your grandmother would ask for, but I love it! Moist carrot cake with walnuts and cream cheese icing! Could you ask for anything more delicious?! So, when I asked a friend at work what she wanted me to bake for her birthday she said carrot cupcakes...I almost died!

Now I have made a lot of desserts for the office but this one didn't even last till lunch!

Carrot Cupcakes:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
4 large eggs
1 cup granulated white sugar
1 cup safflower, corn, or canola oil
2 cups finely grated raw carrots
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

Cream Cheese Frosting:
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
3 cups confectioners' (powdered or icing) sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven. Place paper liners in 20 muffin cups.

In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon.

In another large bowl whisk the eggs, sugar, and oil until slightly thickened. Fold in the flour mixture until incorporated. With a large rubber spatula fold in the grated carrots, grated apple, chopped nuts, and raisins. Evenly divide the batter between the 20 muffin cups and bake about 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean.

Remove from the oven and let cool completely on a wire rack. Pipe or with a knife or small metal spatula spread the cream cheese frosting on top of each cupcake. Cover and refrigerate the cupcakes until serving time.

Frosting: In the bowl of your electric, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter and cream cheese until very smooth and creamy. Gradually beat in the powdered sugar until fully incorporated and smooth. Beat in the vanilla extract.

Makes 20 cupcakes.

[There are the cups I used for the carrot cupcakes that I got from Ikea. I recommend also buy the cupcake pan too, since they were a little to tall for the regular cupcake pan]

Enjoy!