The power of the cupcake

What do carrots, cream cheese and maple syrup have in common? Nothing actually, but when they are combined they form an unstoppable food force known as none other than Carrot Cupcakes with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting. Each ingredient alone stands strong, like the superheroes from the old cartoon series Captain Planet, but when they come together they release their true power, or in this case taste, making them impossible to resist.

I felt something in my life was missing today (besides a bigger pay check) and realized I needed a true superhero to sweep me off my feet and take me away to warmer weather. Then I found it, the Captain Planet of the cupcake world, and although it would not physically take me to warmer weather it could make me feel warmer on the inside...and it did.

These mini-cakes are irresistible, I mean seriously, I would say dangerously so. I had to lock myself in my bedroom to resist finishing all 12 of the cinnamony, carrot infused, moist cupcakes topped with deathly-delicious icing that may have just come straight down from heaven. I managed to keep myself away from them for 27 minutes and 45 seconds (not that I'm counting) but I have a feeling I have reached my breaking point, so I'm off to save the planet (or maybe just my stomach) one sweet cupcake at a time.

Carrot Cupcakes with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

Adapted from the recipe on the Butter Sugar Flour blog

Makes 12 cupcakes

½ cup caster sugar

¼ cup brown sugar

½ cup vegetable oil

2 large eggs

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup plain flour

¾ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 ½ cups grated carrots, around 4 medium carrots

1/2 canned pineapple, chopped

¼ cup walnuts, chopped

Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

125g cream cheese, room temperature

30g unsalted butter, softened

2 cups icing sugar, sifted

¼ cup maple syrup

7 walnuts, cut in half

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a 12-hole muffin tin with papers.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the sugars and oil until combined. Add the eggs one by one and mix until smooth. Add the vanilla extract.
3. Sift all the dry ingredients into the bowl and mix. Add the grated carrots, pineapple and walnuts.
4. Divide the batter between the muffin pans and bake for around 15-20 minutes or until golden brown and springy to touch. Allow to cool.
5. For the frosting, mix the cream cheese, butter, icing sugar and maple syrup until smooth. Frost the cooled cupcakes and top with the walnut halves.