Carrot Cake Cupcakes

This recipe for the cupcakes came from the Happy Herbivore cookbook by Lindsay Nixon.  I made these for a bridal shower for my niece.  These are even better the next day.  Yummy!

Ingredients

1 ½ cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup raw sugar
1 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
1 ½ t. ground cinnamon
½ t. fine salt
1 ½ cups unsweetened applesauce
1 generous tsp vanilla extract
1 large carrot, peeled and shredded

Icing Ingredients
2 cups powdered sugar
3 T. pure maple syrup
1 t. vanilla extract
1 T. unsweetened vanilla almond milk
2 large lemon wedges, juiced
Toasted walnuts (optional)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line muffin tin with baking liners

In a medium bowl, whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt together.

In a large bowl, combine applesauce, vanilla and carrot.

Add dry mixture to wet mixture in 3 to 4 batches, stirring until just combined.

Fill baking liners ¾ full and bake for 18 – 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Remove cupcakes from the oven and transfer to a wire cooling rack.

Prepare the icing once the cupcakes have cooled.

Combine all the icing ingredients in a small bowl.  Beat until frosting like consistency.  Spread over cupcakes and decorate with walnuts if desired.