Mini Carrot-Apple Cupcakes

Mini Carrot-Apple Cupcakes

These are a wonderful bite sized cake perfect for a party. Use the mini cupcake papers in the muffin pan.
Course Dessert
Servings 24 cupcakes

Ingredients
  

Cupcakes

  • 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon fine salt
  • teaspoon ground allspice
  • 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
  • ¾ cup dark brown sugar packed
  • 2 eggs at room temperature
  • ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
  • ¼ cup fresh unfiltered apple juice
  • 1 small carrot peeled and finely grated

Frosting

  • 4 oz. cream cheese softened to room temperature
  • cup powdered sugar
  • ¼ cup chilled whipping cream

Instructions
 

Cupcakes

  • Preheat oven to 350°.
  • Line two 12- cup mini muffin pans with mini baking papers.      
  • Whisk the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and allspice in a medium bowl to blend.
  • Using a handheld electric mixer, beat the butter in a large bowl until fluffy.
  • Add the brown sugar and beat until blended.  Beat in the eggs, one at a time.
  • Beat in half of the dry ingredients, then the applesauce and apple juice.
  • Beat in the remaining dry ingredients.  Fold in the grated carrot.
  • Drop 1 well-round Tablespoon of batter into each paper liner.
  • Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcake comes out clean, about 17 minutes.  Cool the cupcakes in the tins for 5 minutes.  Transfer to a rack and cool completely.

Frosting

  • To make the frosting, combine the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and whipping cream in a deep medium bowl.  Beat until the frosting is thick and smooth.  Cover and chill for at least 1 hour until firm.  Frost cupcakes.

Notes

Recipe from Giada De Laurentiis.