Oh How Sweet Life Is Recipe #3: When Carrots Meet Scrumptious

I like carrots. They come in a size for all – bite size, rabbit size, stew size. They are a nice accent to many dishes, especially soups and roast. Raw carrots make a very satisfying crunch when you eat them. They apparently can turn you orange if you eat enough. And best of all, they meet scrumptious when baked into cupcakes with cream cheese frosting. Yowzers.

If carrots are your thing, go crazy making a triple batch of these tasty treats so you can freeze some for a rainy day (like today in San Diego). If carrots aren’t your thing, I challenge you to bake the cupcakes and take just one bite – that’s all it takes to hook you. If it doesn’t work, and you still don’t like carrots, mail me the rest of the cupcakes so I can dispose of them for you.

Diabetic Friendly Cupcakes:

4 beaten eggs

2 c. whole wheat flour

1 c. sugar

1 c. Splenda or  Apriva

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1/4 tsp. ground allspice

1/4 tsp. ground ginger

2 1/2 c. finely shredded carrots – do not pack them into the measuring cup

3/4 c. cooking oil

1/2 c. finely chopped pecans (optional)

Mix the eggs, oil, and carrots in a small bowl. I suggest using a food processor on high speed to shred the carrots. Combine the remaining ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Add the wet ingredients to the dry. Stir until combined.

I suggest using paper liners for your muffin pans because it saves time on clean-up and makes it easier to share the cupcakes with others. A tip: Michaels frequently has patterned liners in the dollar bin area. They are much fancier than the basic one color liners.

Fill the liners 3/4 full with the batter. Bake in a 350° F. preheated oven for 13 – 15 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.  Place on a cooling rack. The recipe makes about 18 cupcakes.

Cream cheese frosting:

4 oz. cream cheese, softened

1/4 c. butter or margarine, softened

1 tsp. vanillla

2 1/2 to 3 c. powdered sugar

Beat the wet ingredients with an electric mixer until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar until the mixture becomes spreadable. Frost the cooled cupcakes, then sprinkle them with nutmeg or cinnamon.