Carrot Cupcakes with Coconut-Cream Cheese Frosting
Cupcakes:
2/3 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 cup finely shredded carrot
1 ((8 ounce)) can crushed pineapple in juice, well-drained
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 cup raisins
Frosting:
1/4 cup (2 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, chilled
1 tablespoon butter or stick margarine, softened
1/8 teaspoon imitation coconut flavor (optional)
1 1/3 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons flaked sweetened coconut
Preheat oven to 350. To prepare cupcakes, beat first 4 ingredients at medium speed of a mixer until well-blended. Add carrot and pineapple; beat well. Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine
flour and next 5 ingredients (flour through nutmeg) in a bowl, stirring well
with a whisk. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture; beat well. Stir in
raisins.
Spoon batter into 12 muffin cups lined with paper liners. Bake at 350 for 20
minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in
pan 5 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.
To prepare frosting, beat the cream cheese, butter, and coconut flavor at
medium speed of a mixer just until blended. Gradually add powdered sugar (do
not overbeat). Spread frosting over cupcakes; sprinkle with flaked coconut.
Store, covered, in refrigerator.
Yield 1 dozen (serving size: 1 cupcake)