Healthier Carrot Cake Cupcakes

Know why I love cupcakes? Because they’re delicious. Know why else I love cupcakes? Serving size! Carrot cake is typically a big, honkin’ double-decker cake. And I’m not complaining. But I feel so satisfied with just a little cupcake- so why not make everything cake-like in your muffin tins?! Ok, I will, thanks so much!

Another thing that’s fabulous about these carrot cake cupcakes, if that they are filled with fruits (pineapple) and veggies (carrots!) and omega 3’s (walnuts)! Yes! healthier! The first time I made these I used Gina’s recipe from skinnytaste.com. And while her recipe is delicious, I found that using GF flour, 1/4 cup LESS sugar, subbing coconut sugar, and coconut oil, these cupcakes are every bit as mouth-wateringly delicious (if not more!) I hope you try them out because I KNOW you’re going to just LOVE them!

Pro tip: My kids don’t like nuts, so I pour their batter in the liners first, then add the walnuts to the remainder of the batch.

FYI: I hate shredded coconut. You can add a ½ cup of that disgusting sawdust to your ingredients if you must.

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (I used Bob’s gluten free)

• 3/4 cup coconut sugar

• 2 tsp baking soda

• 1 tsp salt

• 2 tsp ground cinnamon

• 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted

• 2 large eggs

• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla

• 2 cups grated carrots

• 20 ounce can crushed pineapple in juice, drained

• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts plus 1/4 cup for topping

Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 8 oz 1/3 fat Philadelphia Cream Cheese (room temp)

• 1/4 cup powdered sugar

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions:

1.              Preheat oven to 350°.

2.              In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Whisk until well blended.

3.              In a second bowl, combine oil, eggs, and vanilla; stir well.

4.              Add grated carrots and pineapple; mix well.

5.              Fold wet ingredients with the dry ingredients, batter will be stiff and dry but keep folding it and it will all come together. Fold in 1/4 cup chopped nuts.

6.              Spoon batter into muffin liners. Makes about 16.

7.              Bake at 350° for about 20-30 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and cake is pulling away from sides of pan. Let cool.

8.              To prepare frosting, beat together frosting ingredients until smooth. Gently spread on top of cupcakes.

9.              Garnish with remaining chopped walnuts.