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Carrot cupcakes

Serves 12 people

4 medium carrots

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

3/4 tsp. salt

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg

3/4 cup vegetable oil

3 large eggs

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1 muffin pan with 12 (1/2-cup) muffin cups

12 paper liners

For orange icing:

1 1/4 cups confectioner's sugar

1/2 tsp. grated orange zest

2 to 3 Tbs. fresh orange juice

For vanilla cream frosting:

4 oz. cream cheese

2 Tbs. butter

3/4 cup confectioner's sugar

1/4 cup milk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees with rack in middle. Line muffin cups with paper liners.
Coarsely grate enough carrots to measure 2 cups using large teardrop holes of a box grater.
Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg in a bowl.
Whisk together oil, eggs, brown sugar, grated carrots, and vanilla in a large bowl, then stir in flour mixture until just combined.
Divide batter among muffin cups and bake until golden and a wooden pick inserted into center of a cupcake comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes.
Cool in pan on a rack 10 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pan and cool completely on rack, about 1 hour more.
Cupcakes can be made and iced 1 day ahead, then kept in 1 layer in an airtight container at room temperature.
Make orange icing:Sift confectioner's sugar into a bowl. Whisk in zest and 2 tablespoons juice until smooth. If icing is too thick, add more juice, 1 teaspoon at a time. Dip top of each cupcake into icing, letting excess drip off. Let set for 15 minutes.
(or) Make vanilla cream frosting:In a medium bowl, with an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat the cream cheese and butter until blended. Beat in the confectioner's sugar, milk, and vanilla until fluffy and smooth and doubled in volume. Frost each cupcake with a generous amount of topping.

Source: Recipe from Jim Reed and phot by CoCo's Cupcake Cafe (cocoscupcakecafe.com)