Carrot Cake Cupcakes {Recipes}

My sister and I made two different kinds of cupcakes to serve at the luncheon following our Mommom's funeral today.  I am not kidding you when I say that at least 15 different people came up to me and said that the carrot cake cupcakes were the best cupcakes they've ever had.... and that was just perfect because the recipe's name is actually "The Best Ever Carrot Cake Cupcakes" courtesy of Miss Paula Deen :)  

Please don't compare my actual cupcake pictures to this... because you will be let down.

So here it is folks.... 

Ingredients

• 4 eggs
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup apple sauce
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 8-oz. can of crushed pineapple, well drained
• 3 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• Small pinch of ground cloves
• 3 cups grated carrots, grate on larger side of cheese grater
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• For Frosting:
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 3 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Fresh coconut, shaved and toasted for garnish (optional)

Steps

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, beat together eggs, oil, apple sauce, sugars, pineapple and 2 teaspoons vanilla. Mix in flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and small pinch of ground cloves. Stir in carrots. Fold in pecans. Pour into muffin tin lined with beautiful paper or foil liners. Fill each liner 3/4 full. Bake in the preheated oven for 18-20 min. Let cupcakes cool completely. While cooling, prepare frosting.

Frosting: 
In a medium bowl, combine butter, cream cheese, confectioners' sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Pile the frosting high on the cooled cupcakes and garnish with the toasted coconut if desired.

* The only thing I did a little differently was the frosting.  When I made it according to the directions, it came out pretty soupy, so I added about an extra cup of sugar and a little extra cream cheese.  That gave it a little bit of a stiffer consistency so when I piped (I have no idea if I am using that word correctly!) the icing on, it looked a little nicer :)  

Here are mine!!

*taken with my cell phone

*taken with my cell phone.