Mini Carrot Cake Cupcakes

Active Time: 20 MinsTotal Time1 Hour 35 Mins
Yield:
Yield: : serves 12 (serving size: 3 mini cupcakes)

These not-too-sweet mini cupcakes give you all of the flavor of a classic carrot cake, plus a hint of tang in the cream cheese frosting. These cute, bite-sized treats would be a great addition to any spring celebration, or for a tea party. You can make the cupcakes up to one day in advance—just let them sit unfrosted in airtight container on the counter. Make the frosting when you’re ready to serve.

Ingredients

  • 3 1/4 ounces (about 3/4 cup) all-purpose flour
  • 2 ounces (about 1/2 cup) white whole-wheat flour
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1large egg
  • 1large egg yolk
  • 1 cup grated carrots (from 3 medium [6 oz. each] carrots)
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup undrained canned crushed pineapple in juice (from 1 [8-oz.] can)
  • 1/3 cup canola oil
  • 1/3 cup low-fat buttermilk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 8 ounces 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
  • 5 tablespoons (about 1 1/3 oz.) unsifted powdered sugar
  • 3 tablespoons plain whole-milk Greek yogurt
  • 1medium (6 oz.) carrot, shaved into 36 twists using a vegetable peeler

Nutritional Information

  • Calories 256
  • Fat 11g
  • Satfat 4g
  • Unsatfat 6g
  • Protein 4g
  • Carbohydrate 34g
  • Fiber 1g
  • Sugars 24g
  • Added sugars 21g
  • Sodium 252mg
  • Calcium 6% DV
  • Potassium 2% DV
  • Calories 256
  • Fat 11g
  • Satfat 4g
  • Unsatfat 6g
  • Protein 4g
  • Carbohydrate 34g
  • Fiber 1g
  • Sugars 24g
  • Added sugars 21g
  • Sodium 252mg
  • Calcium 6% DV
  • Potassium 2% DV

How to Make It

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 3 (12-cup) mini muffin trays with paper liners. Stir together all-purpose flour, white whole-wheat flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Whisk together egg, egg yolk, grated carrots, brown sugar, crushed pineapple, oil, buttermilk, and vanilla in a separate large bowl. Add flour mixture to egg mixture, stirring until just combined.

Step 2

Pour batter evenly into prepared muffin trays. Bake in preheated oven until a wooden pick inserted in centers of cupcakes comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven; let cupcakes cool in trays on a wire rack 5 minutes. Remove cupcakes from trays; let cool completely on a wire rack, about 1 hour.

Step 3

Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, and yogurt with an electric mixer on high speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Spoon mixture into a piping bag; snip 1/2 inch from 1 bag corner. Pipe frosting evenly onto each cupcake. Top each cupcake with 1 carrot twist.

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