Healthy-er Carrot Cupcakes

If you are a regular reader, or a friend of mine, you know that I also teach spinning at our local fitness facility . . . I’ve been on a bit of a hiatus lately, but I’m starting back up in July . . . oh, that saddle is going to be painful! Good thing I’ve been riding my mountain bike around.

Anyways, the point of me telling you this, is that for our last group instructor meeting, where we all get together (as we hardly see each other due to our various schedules) and talk about what’s going well, classes we might want to look at adding etc, I was asked to bring cupcakes. BUT, do you think that a group of fitness instructors want to eat a huge sugary cupcake? My guess, was no, they’re not like me (aka they are F.I.T. and I’m the round (literally) odd-ball), so I set out to find a “cupcake” that was:

1. not a muffin (an easy disguise),

2. low in sugar,

3. low in fat, and

4. that tasted like it was none of the above!

(Side note, I’m making a new cupcake for JJ’s and I’m going to call it the Fun Free cupcake and it’s going to be Gluten Free and Dairy Free…bahahaha!)

A carrot filled cupcake seemed like a good start, as I knew the vegetable thing had to be on my side! So I searched my beloved Tastespotting (which I recently had gotten my photo rejected from AGAIN. Lord, how do people do it!?!?!) and found just the recipe that I had been looking for! It is from Tessa at Handle the Heat, and is called Healthier Carrot Cupcakes! This recipe uses whole wheat flour, a small amount of oil, and applesauce for binding!

Here is what you do:

Carrot Cupcakes with Lemony Cream Cheese Icing

Found at Handle the Heat

For the Cupcakes

• 3/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour or whole wheat flour

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

• 1/4 cup canola oil

• 3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

• 2 large eggs

• 1/2 cup natural applesauce

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

• 1 1/2 cups finely shredded carrots (about 2 medium carrots)

• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons finely chopped walnuts (I omitted this as I was unsure about allergies)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners.

Sift together the first 6 ingredients.

In a large bowl, whisk the oil, brown sugar and eggs until well combined.

Whisk in the applesauce, vanilla and carrots.

Add the dry ingredients and mix until combined.

If using, stir in 1/4 cup of the chopped walnuts.

Divide the batter between the muffin cups. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Lemon Cream Cheese Icing

• 4 ounces 1/3 fat cream cheese

• 3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted

• 1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

With an electric mixer, beat together the cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar and lemon zest until smooth and creamy. Frost the cooled cupcakes and sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons chopped walnuts. The cupcakes should be stored in the refrigerator for about 3 days.

I hope you enjoy them . . . and make them for the fitness buffs in your life!

Healthy-er Carrot Cupcakes

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Healthy-er Carrot Cupcakes

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