Carrot and Pineapple Cupcakes With Cream Cheese Frosting

I was playing around in the kitchen today trying to come up with an easy fall cupcake recipe. This is what resulted. It is my latest creation:

Carrot and Pineapple Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting:

Ingredients:

1 Box Duncan Hines Spice Cake Mix
1 1/3 cups water
1/3 cup canola oil
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups freshly grated carrot
1 cup canned, crushed pineapple, undrained
3/4 cup finely chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine cake mix, water, oil and eggs in a large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until well combined, about 2 minutes.
Using a rubber spatula, fold in carrots, pineapple and pecans.

Fill 24 paper-lined muffin cups 3/4 full and bake for 18-21 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of cupcake comes out clean. Avoid overbaking.

Remove from oven and cool cupcakes completely on a wire rack.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a medium bowl, cream together the cream cheese and butter until creamy. Mix in the vanilla, then gradually stir in the confectioners' sugar. Store in the refrigerator while cupcakes bake.


Chef's notes:

Before grating carrots, wash them well, but don't peel. The skin of the carrot contains extra fiber and nutrients and you'll never know it's there.

Fill muffin cups with a standard size spring ice cream scoop. It's the perfect amount for each cupcake and it helps to avoid drips on the pan.

For a beautiful (and easy!) frosting, pipe frosting from a large straight icing tip in a swirl pattern on top of the cupcakes. Grate a bit of fresh nutmeg on top of iced cupcakes for a special effect.