Carrot Cake Cupcakes

My second son, Joshua, has had a girlfriend for almost two years. Gulp. I know relationships of even several years can break up, but two years is a long time, and these two seem pretty happy together. I think her mom and I are both realizing this isn't just a high school romance and she recently invited us over for dinner, the first time we have enjoyed each others company for longer than five or ten minutes.

I asked what I could bring and she said "dessert." This was back when I was not eating wheat, so I was in a quandary. I wasn't eating wheat, she is diabetic, and my Noah can't eat tree nuts or peanuts. Not completely limiting, but still. I decided to make a wheat free recipe and a recipe with wheat. For the wheat-free treat, I had it on good authority that Land of Lakes has some good gluten free recipes. We won't talk about it, but I will tell you I didn't follow the recipe exactly (I subbed agave for the sugar because I wanted an essentially sugar-free dessert).

This recipe, I am told (because I didn't try them), was awesome, however. They smelled divine and looked beautiful. The recipe is essentially the one Annie at Annie's Eats uses, except for just a few changes (Argh, can I ever just follow a recipe? No.).

Carrot Cake Cupcakes

makes about 24

2½ cups all-purpose flour
1¼ t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
1¼ t. ground cinnamon
1/8 t. ground cloves

scant 1/8 t. nutmeg
½ t. salt
1 lb. (6-7 medium) carrots
1½ cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
1½ cups canola, safflower or vegetable oil

12 oz. cream cheese (not softened)
7½ tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
3¾ cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted

Preheat the oven to 350° F.  Line two cupcake pans with paper liners.  

In a food processor fitted with a shredding disk, shred the carrots (you should have about 3 cups).  Place the carrots in a large mixing bowl and set aside.  Place the metal blade in the processor and  process the sugars and eggs until frothy and thoroughly combined, about 20 seconds.  With the machine running, add the oil in a steady stream through the feed tube.  Continue to process until the mixture is light in color and well emulsified, about 20 more seconds.  Transfer the mixture to the large mixing bowl with the carrots. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt. Stir to combine thoroughly with carrots and other wet ingredients.

USe an ice cream scoop or spoon to spoon evenly into the prepared cupcake liners.  Bake for about 20-24 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Let cool in the pan at least 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the frosting, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment beat the cream cheese and butter on medium-high speed until well combined and smooth, about 2-3 minutes.  Mix in the vanilla extract.  Gradually beat in the confectioners’ sugar until totally incorporated, increase the speed and then beat until smooth.  Frost cooled cupcakes as desired. (I did not have quite enough frosting to frost all the cupcakes using a decorator bag.)

Source: modified from Annie's Eats