15 May Skinny Carrot Cake Cupcakes
I’m jonesing for a tropical vacation this week. Maybe that’s why I’m making skinny cupcakes. My subconscious is prepping me for an imaginary vacation for which I am required to wear a bikini 12 hours a day.
If this is an imaginary vacation let’s give me the body of Kate Upton and Ryan Gosling lying on the lounge chair to my right.
Why yes, Ryan. I do need more tanning oil rubbed on my back. Whoops, I think you missed a spot.
Wow, this is the best pina colada I’ve ever had. You hand-picked the pineapples? Just for me? Oh, you shouldn’t have!
What’s that? You want to stroll the beach, hand-in-hand, at sunset? Again? Well, if you insist.
But only if you give me one of those foot massages afterwards. There’s nothing you’d rather do?
Best. Vacation. Ever.
Ryan & I are going to go back to our hotel room…you should just stay here and make Skinny Carrot Cake Cupcakes.
I wanted to call these “Non-Fat Carrot Cake Cupcakes” but newsflash: there is no such thing as fat-free butter. And if there was I would probably boycott it, because butter is a beautiful thing.
The butter content is limited to the icing however, so if you’d like to further cut down on calories you can eliminate the butter from the frosting and substitute Splenda for the sugar in the cake.
I would not recommend using Splenda in place of the powdered sugar in the icing, though. I tried that once for a different recipe and it was pretty unappetizing.
Ingredients
- 2 cups cake flour
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- 1 ½ tsp. baking soda
- 1 ½ tsp. salt
- 2 tsp. cinnamon
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 ½ cups unsweetened apple sauce
- 4 eggs
- 2 cups grated carrots
- 1 8½ oz. can of crushed pineapple (drained)
- 1 ½ cups walnuts or pecans chopped (can also be used in frosting if desired)
- 8oz fat free cream cheese
- 4 tbsp (1/2 stick) butter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3-4 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 and line 2 standard muffin tins with paper liners.
- In a large bowl sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon & salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment, mix sugar and apple sauce until well combined.
- Beat in eggs one at a time.
- Add carrots and pineapple and mix well.
- With mixer on low, add flour mixture and beat until combined.
- Add nuts and mix. (optional)
- Divide batter between paper liners and bake for 20 minutes, checking at 15. Cupcakes are done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment, beat cream cheese and butter on high until light and fluffy.
- Add vanilla and mix until incorporated.
- Add powdered sugar in 1/2 cup increments until icing reaches desired sweetness and consistency.
- Garnish with nuts (optional)
Melissa
Posted at 11:02h, 16 MayKatie
These cupcakes look and sound delicious! Your pictures are lovely. Thank you for the recipe!
Melissa recently posted…Almond-Coconut Cream Tart with spiced strawberry chutney {V/GF}
Nellie
Posted at 15:53h, 06 OctoberI made these yesterday with my 2 year old in honor of my dog’s birthday and they were a hit!
KWahlman
Posted at 10:50h, 07 Octoberlove it! happy birthday to your pup!