CUPCAKES RECIPE
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes
- ▢1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
- ▢⅔ cup sugar
- ▢1 teaspoon baking powder
- ▢¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon (I used Pampered Chef Cinnamon Plus)
- ▢¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ▢⅛ teaspoon salt
- ▢⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ▢3 tablespoons canola oil (I substituted MELT Spread)
- ▢1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ▢1 large egg
- ▢1 cup finely shredded, peeled carrot (about 2 medium)
- 1 can (8 ounces) crushed pineapple, drained very well
- ▢⅓ cup dried cranberries, coarsely chopped
For the Lemon Cream Cheese Icing
- ▢2 ounces ⅓-less-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
- ▢2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature (I used MELT Spread instead)
- ▢2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
- ▢1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ▢⅛ teaspoon salt
- ▢1-⅔ to 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- ▢1 to 2 teaspoons lemon juice
Instructions
- Position an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 12 standard muffin cups with paper liners.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and nutmeg until well blended.
- Add the oil, vanilla, egg, carrots, and pineapple and stir until well blended. Gently stir in the dried cranberries.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared cups, dividing it evenly among them.
- Bake on the center of the oven for 16-18 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove pan from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes and then remove the cupcakes from the pan and let them cool completely on the wire rack.
- While the cupcakes are cooling, prepare the lemon cream cheese icing. In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter (or MELT spread), lemon zest, vanilla, and salt with an electric mixer on medium speed until just blended and smooth.
- Gradually add 1-⅔ cups of the powdered sugar and beat until smooth. Beat in the lemon juice until blended. If the mixture seems to soft, add more sugar until you reach a nice spreading consistency.
- When the cupcakes are completely cool, frost the cupcakes with the lemon cream cheese icing
