These carrot cake cupcakes are moist and sweet, just like carrot cake. But unlike most carrot cakes, these cupcakes are made with relatively little oil and sugar. The secret? Pureed pineapple. It lends sweetness and moisture to the recipes and won't bother people who prefer avoiding the texture of pineapple chunks in their carrot cake, but still want that flavor.
These carrot cake cupcakes make terrific Easter cupcakes. Decorate these cupcakes with cream cheese frosting and candy carrots. Or for Easter, decorate these cupcakes with coconut and candy Easter eggs.
See also: Easter Cupcakes
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 28 minutes
Total Time: 48 minutes
Yield: 18 carrot cake cupcakes
Ingredients:
- 8 oz. crushed pineapple with juice
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 cup plain yogurt
- 1/2 cup canola oil
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup firmly-packed light brown sugar
- 2 tsp. vanilla
- 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup white whole wheat flour
- 2 tsp. baking soda
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
- 3 cups grated carrots
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
- gummy candy carrots for decorating
Preparation:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 2 muffin tins with cooking spray or line with paper liners.
- Place crushed pineapple in the work bowl of a food processor, fitted with a metal blade. Puree until smooth (it will be the texture of applesauce). Transfer to a large mixing bowl. Add eggs, yogurt, oil, sugars and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer until smooth.
- Sift together flours, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Mix into wet ingredients until incorporated. Do not overmix. Stir in carrots and walnuts.
- Fill muffin tins with carrot cake cupcake 2/3 to 3/4 of the way full. Bake 18-28 minutes until golden brown.
- Let carrot cake cupcakes cool 10 minutes in the pans, then take out of the pans to cool completely before frosting.
- Frost with cream cheese frosting. Decorate with candy carrots.
Don't Miss: Carrot Cake Recipe
