Carrot Creamy Cupcakes (Print Version)

# Ingredients:

→ Carrot Cupcakes

01 - 1/2 cup oil for cooking or baking
02 - 1/2 cup white sugar
03 - 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
04 - 3/4 cup firmly packed grated carrots
05 - 1/4 cup crushed pineapple without the juice
06 - 2 large eggs, room temp
07 - 2 teaspoons of vanilla flavoring
08 - 1 cup plus 3 extra tablespoons of all-purpose flour, leveled off
09 - 1 teaspoon of baking soda
10 - 1 1/2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon spice
11 - 1 teaspoon allspice powder
12 - 1/2 teaspoon of ordinary salt
13 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
14 - 1/4 teaspoon powdered ginger

→ Cheesecake Filling

15 - 6 ounces of softened cream cheese
16 - 3 tablespoons white sugar
17 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla flavoring

→ Cream Cheese Frosting

18 - Half a cup of unsalted butter at room temp
19 - 6 ounces of softened cream cheese
20 - 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar for sweetness
21 - 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla flavoring

→ Topping

22 - Caramel topping from the store (Smuckers is great)

# Instructions:

01 - Turn your oven on to 350°F (175°C). Use cupcake liners to line an average-sized muffin tin.
02 - Grab a big bowl. In it, mix together the oil, both sugars, the grated carrots, drained pineapple, eggs, and vanilla. Stir everything together so it’s all blended.
03 - Take a separate bowl and sift in the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, salt, nutmeg, and ginger. Carefully add the dry stuff to the wet, gently stirring until it’s just mixed—don’t go overboard.
04 - Using a medium bowl, whip up the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until smooth and creamy in texture.
05 - Spoon enough of the carrot cake batter to fill each cupcake liner about two-thirds of the way up. Drop a tablespoon of the cream cheese mix into the center of every cupcake, then use a toothpick or a knife to lightly swirl the two together.
06 - Bake the cupcakes for 18–22 minutes. You’ll know they're done if a toothpick poked into the cake part comes out without any wet batter. Let them cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then place them on a cooling rack.
07 - Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, or a hand mixer, beat the butter and cream cheese on medium for around 2–3 minutes until smooth. Add in the powdered sugar and vanilla on low, then turn it up to medium-high and beat it for another couple of minutes to make it fluffy.
08 - Scoop the frosting into a piping bag with a 1M star tip. Pipe the frosting in a circle on each cupcake, leaving a little dip in the middle. Add caramel sauce to the center.
09 - Eat right away or store in the fridge until you're ready. For full flavor, take the cupcakes out about 15–20 minutes before serving to warm up a bit.

# Notes:

01 - Bring everything to room temperature for a nice, smooth batter and frosting.
02 - Like nuts in your cake? Toss some chopped pecans or walnuts into the mix.
03 - Drain the pineapple really well so your batter doesn’t get soggy.
04 - These cupcakes are like a match made in heaven—carrot cake and cheesecake together!