Leela’s Carrot-Ginger CupCakes with Lemon Cream Cheese Icing

Leela’s Carrot-Ginger CupCakes with Lemon Cream Cheese Icing

3 cups flour
2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1 t. cinnamon
1 t. ground ginger
1/4 t. ground cloves
1/4 t. freshly grated nutmeg
3/4 cup granuated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup milk
1/4 cup sour cream
2 eggs
1/3 cup canola oil
1 t. vanilla extract
2 Tbs. grated fresh ginger
2 cups peeled & grated raw carrot (about 6 carrots)
1/2 cup Craisins
1/2 cup walnuts
Chopped crystalized ginger

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put 18 paper muffin cups (I like the Leopard ones!) in 2 trays, spray lightly with Pam. Combine flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ground ginger, cloves and nutmeg. In a separate bowl whisk egg & sugars until smooth. Add oil, milk, sour cream, vanilla and fresh ginger. Add carrots. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, stirring with a big spoon until just combined, do not overmix. Add Craisins and walnuts. Use an ice cream disher to scoop the batter into the muffin cups. Bake 20 – 25 minutes, rotating and turning trays once, until browned on top and a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out clean. Remove from pans, cool completely on a wire rack before icing.

For icing: Beat together 8 oz. softened cream cheese, 1/4 cup softened butter, 2 Tbs. lemon juice, 3 t. grated lemon zest, 1 t. vanilla extract, 1 16 oz. box confectioner’s sugar. Add more sugar or lemon juice for easy spreading. Garnish with chopped crystalized ginger. Makes 18 muffins.

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