Pineapple/carrot Tropical Cupcakes

William (Uncle Bill) Anatooskin's Note:

These cupcakes are a reduced-fat carrot cake recipe, and are moist and tropically flavored.

• Total Time: 35 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients:

Yield: 18 large c ...

CUPCAKES

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
• 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 1 (14 ounce) can crushed pineapple in juice
• 2 ½ cups finely grated carrots
• 1 cup chopped pecans or 1 cup walnuts
• 2 tablespoons finely grated orange zest

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

• 4 ounces light cream cheese , at room temperature
• 3 cups sifted icing sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 ¼ cups sweetened flaked coconut

Directions:

1. Prepare 18- 2 3/4" diameter by 1 1/4" deep muffin cups by lightly greasing with a vegetable oil, or line with paper cup liners.
2. CUPCAKES: In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; mix well.
3. In another large bowl, combine sugar, oil and vanilla; beat well.
4. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
5. Stir in pineapple including juice, carrots, nuts and orange zest.
6. Stir in flour mixture, half at a time until just combined (DO NOT OVERBEAT.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
7. Spoon batter equally into 18 prepared muffin cups.
8. Bake in preheated 350 degrees F oven about 20 minutes or until top springs back when lightly pressed with fingers.
9. Remove cupcakes from pan and let cool completely on wire racks.
10. These muffins can be made ahead and stored in a container with a tight fitting lid for up to 2 days.
11. CREAM CHEESE FROSTING: In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth.
12. Gradually add and beat in icing sugar and vanilla extract.
13. Beat until it is of spreading consistency.
14. Put coconut on a plate.
15. Spread each cupcake with about 4 teaspoons of frosting mixture.
16. Then gently dip top of muffin into coconut to coat.
17. Sprinkle with extra coconut if desired.
18. Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator in a container with a tight fitting lid for up to 4 hours.
19. VARIATION: For mini cupcakes, spoon batter into 36 greased 1 3/4- inch diameter by 1- inch deep mini muffin pans.
20. Bake in preheated 350 degrees F oven for 15 minutes.
21. Apply frosting as noted above.

Reviews

[Heartspell]

Uncle Bill...these are FANTASTIC!! I made these for my grandkids daycare for Easter. The only thing I changed was I substituted Splenda for sugar in both the batter and frosting. And I omited the coconut in the frosting because I dipped them in tinted coconut at the end. I made them into little bunnies using peeps. They were a big hit! Even one of the teachers went wild over them and she never eats food like this. DH and famliy loved them as well! This is a keeper...thank you so much for sharing.

[Teckla]

Wonderful....I will make them again soon!!!!!!! Even my husband liked them....And he usually only like chocolate cakes and cupcakes.

[Kittencalskitchen]

Uncle Bill,these are wonderful, moist cupcakes with just the perfect amount of sugar, I made as directed, only I used less carrots, I only had 2 very small ones left in the fridge and that gave me around 1-1/2 cups grated, and I omitted the nuts. Also I used one 8-oz pkg of cream cheese instead of the 4-ounce package, I read the recipe ingredients wrong and ended up by doubling the icing sugar and vanilla (my mistake), also I left out the coconut, as I did not have any around. I will freeze the remaining icing for the next batch, which I will look forward to making again, these are just delicious! Thank you for another keeper...Kitten:)