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Carrot Cake Cupcakes healthy recipe with cream cheese frosting no refined sugar

Healthy Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting


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3.9 from 7 reviews

Description

So much healthier than traditional carrot cake, this light version of Carrot Cake Cupcakes are flavorful, moist, and always a hit!


Ingredients

Units Scale

For the Cupcakes

  • 1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour or whole wheat pastry flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 2/3 cups unsweetened applesauce
  • 1/3 cup maple syrup
  • 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup crushed pineapple, drained
  • 2 cups shredded carrots

For the Frosting

  • 8 ounces organic cream cheese
  • 4 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon


Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line muffin tins with paper liners and spray with non-stick cooking spray or use silicone muffin molds *
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt.  Set aside.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, applesauce, maple syrup, and vanilla.  Stir in the pineapple and carrots.
  4. Combine the wet and the dry ingredients and stir until mixture is smooth.
  5. Spoon approximately 1/3 cup of the batter into each muffin liner.  Bake for 22-25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.  Allow to cool on a rack before frosting.
  6. While cupcakes are cooling, prepare the frosting: In a medium bowl, beat together the cream cheese, maple syrup, vanilla and cinnamon until smooth and whipped.
  7. Frost your cupcakes once they are completely cooled. To frost your cupcakes, you can make them pretty by creating a make-shift pastry bag.  Just snip the end of a plastic sandwich bag, put the frosting inside, and squeeze it out onto the cupcake.  Easy! Enjoy!

Notes

*affiliate link

  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 25 minutes

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 cupcake with frosting
  • Calories: 193
  • Sugar: 13.4 grams
  • Fat: 7.8 grams
  • Carbohydrates: 27.8 grams
  • Protein: 4.5 grams