Recipe: Carrot Cupcakes with Ginger-Cream Cheese Icing (using pineapple)

CARROT CUPCAKES WITH GINGER-CREAM CHEESE ICING

1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups peeled, finely grated carrots
1/4 cup canned crushed pineapple in juice, drained
Ginger-Cream Cheese Icing (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line twelve 1/3-cup muffin cups with paper liners.

Sift first 5 ingredients into medium bowl; set aside.

Using electric mixer, beat sugar, oil and eggs in large bowl until well blended. Add dry ingredients to egg mixture in 2 additions, beating until well blended after each addition. Mix in carrots and pineapple. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filling each 3/4 full.

Bake cupcakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Turn cupcakes out onto racks and cool completely. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; store at room temperature.)

Spread top of each cupcake with scant 3 tablespoons Ginger-Cream Cheese Icing. Garnish with candied violets, if desired.

GINGER-CREAM CHEESE ICING
Makes about 3 cups

2 packages (3 oz each) cream cheese, at room temperature
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons peeled, finely grated fresh ginger

Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and butter in large bowl until smooth. Add powdered sugar and ginger; beat until fluffy and smooth. (Icing can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill. Bring to room temperature, then beat until fluffy before using.)

Makes 12 cupcakes
Source: Bon Appetit magazine, April 1999