Pineapple/carrot Tropical Cupcakes
"These cupcakes are a reduced-fat carrot cake recipe, and are moist and tropically flavored."
photo by zaraspence
- Ready In:
- 35mins
- Ingredients:
- 16
- Yields:
-
18 large cupcakes
ingredients
-
CUPCAKES
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1⁄2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 1⁄2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1⁄2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 1 (14 ounce) can crushed pineapple in juice
- 2 1⁄2 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 1⁄4 cups sweetened flaked coconut
directions
- 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.
- CUPCAKES: In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; mix well.
- In another large bowl, combine sugar, oil and vanilla; beat well.
- Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Stir in pineapple including juice, carrots, nuts and orange zest.
- Stir in flour mixture, half at a time until just combined (DO NOT OVERBEAT.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Spoon batter equally into 18 prepared muffin cups.
- Bake in preheated 350 degrees F oven about 20 minutes or until top springs back when lightly pressed with fingers.
- Remove cupcakes from pan and let cool completely on wire racks.
- These muffins can be made ahead and stored in a container with a tight fitting lid for up to 2 days.
- CREAM CHEESE FROSTING: In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth.
- Gradually add and beat in icing sugar and vanilla extract.
- Beat until it is of spreading consistency.
- Put coconut on a plate.
- Spread each cupcake with about 4 teaspoons of frosting mixture.
- Then gently dip top of muffin into coconut to coat.
- Sprinkle with extra coconut if desired.
- Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator in a container with a tight fitting lid for up to 4 hours.
- VARIATION: For mini cupcakes, spoon batter into 36 greased 1 3/4- inch diameter by 1- inch deep mini muffin pans.
- Bake in preheated 350 degrees F oven for 15 minutes.
- Apply frosting as noted above.
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Reviews
-
I used to order a carrot cake similar to this from a local gluten-free bakery that has since closed, so I was happy to find this recipe. I used gluten-free flour and omitted the orange zest and coconut and the cupcakes were perfect! They were moist and fluffy and a huge hit with all the ladies at my annual bunny party. I will definitely be making these again! -
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. -
Wonderful....I will make them again soon!!!!!!! Even my husband liked them....And he usually only like chocolate cakes and cupcakes. -
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:)
Tweaks
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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:)
RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
William Uncle Bill
Burnaby,, B.C.
I live in Burnaby, British Columbia. I am retired and have written a cookbook entitled, From Uncle Bill's Kitchen. I am a recipe developer, author, publisher, distributor and a chef. My cookbook is very unique as I have a Nutrient Analysis for each ingredient used in each recipe that shows you the values for Calories, Fat, Cholesterol and Sodium. A high-lighted bar shows the values on a per serving basis plus the Fat/Cal%.
From Uncle Bill's Kitchen contains tried-and-true, tested, easy to follow reipes for both novice and experienced cooks. You'll find old Russian, Ukrainian, and other ethnic favorites, along with modern West Coast dishes. The Nutrient Analysis will please the health conscious. Uncle Bill's favorite recipes will reward efforts of the most creative cook and provide the family with many tantalizing, healthful meals.
I have appeared on 48 various Television Shows in Vancouver, Burnaby, Kelowna and Kamploops, B.C. Canada, as well as in Palm Springs, CA. In Palm Springs, CA, I have been a Guest on the JACKIE OLDEN RADIO SHOW and THE JOEY ENGLISH RADIO SHOW, twice a year since 1998. I also do demo cooking shows at CHAPTERS BOOK STORES, SAVE-ON-FOOD STORES, GALLOWAY'S FOODS, WESTMINSTER PUBLIC QUAY MARKET, and in the U.S. at BARNES & NOBLE BOOKSTORES in Palm Springs, CA, Phoenix and Yuma, AZ.
I was in Palm Springs, CA from June 10th to July 14th. 2002 and again appeared twice on the Jackie Olden Show, twice on the Joey English Show and pre-taped a TV COOKING SHOW with Jackie Olden that is aired on TV from Palm Springs, CA to Los Angeles, CA.
