Carrot Cupcakes with Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting
These moist, simple and naturally orange tinted cupcakes engage your senses with an aromatic balance of spices and topped with this AH-mazing brown sugar cream cheese frosting.
In the bowl of a mixer, toss in sugar, eggs and oil; beat on medium speed (start slow and increase slowly, so you don't sploosh everywhere), it should be thick and foamy, about 2 minutes.
Meanwhile while that is mixing, in a medium bowl, whisk together your flour, soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.
Add sour cream, vanilla and grated carrots (I pulverized mine in my food processor, super fine) and mix well, might not fully come together and will be rather "soupy." Slowly add your dry ingredients and stir or mix on lowest setting just until blended.
Double up your cupcake liners if desired, spray lightly with non-stick spray or oil, this will help them release easier. Fill cupcake liners slightly more than ½ full.
Bake at 350° for 18-20 minutes until tops spring back when lightly touched. For mini-cupcakes bake for about 15-16 minutes.
Remove from oven to cooling rack, let rest 2-3 minutes in pan, then transfer cupcakes to cooling rack to cool completely.
Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Buttercream
Beat together the cream cheese, butter and brown sugar until light and smooth. Try medium-high speed for about 2 minutes.
Allow to sit for 5-10 minutes until brown sugar dissolves completely into the butter/cheese mixture.
Next add vanilla, salt and enough powdered sugar to make a thick frosting. I used a large star tip to frost the cupcakes. If you don't want as much frosting on these cupcakes, or plan on just spreading it on, you may halve the recipe for the frosting. But, why would you do that?