Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Carrot Coconut Cupcakes

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I've been trying to make some healthier muffin-like breakfast goodies. This recipe is AWESOME. I'm not really a carrot cake lover, either. But there's something about the coconut, carrot, pineapple combo that really is delicious.

This time to make them even healthier, I used 1 cup whole wheat flour, 1/4 ground flax meal, and 1/4 c flour instead of 1 & 1/2 cups flour. And instead of frosting them, I dusted powder sugar on them. Still great!

Carrot-Coconut Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Cupcakes
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 8-ounce cans crushed pineapple in juice, drained
1 cup grated peeled carrots
3/4 cup (lightly packed) sweetened flaked coconut
1/4 cup chopped pecans

Frosting
1 1/2 ounces imported white chocolate, chopped (about 1/4 cup)
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1 cup powdered sugar

For cupcakes:Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 12-cup muffin tin with muffin papers. Whisk sugar, oil, and eggs in large bowl to blend. Whisk flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg in medium bowl to blend. Stir pineapple, carrots, coconut, and pecans in another medium bowl to blend. Stir flour mixture into egg mixture until just blended. Fold in carrot mixture. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, dividing equally. Bake cupcakes until tops are golden brown and tester inserted into centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pan and cool completely on rack.

For frosting:Melt white chocolate in top of double boiler over barely simmering water until melted and smooth. Remove from over water. Using on/off turns, blend cream cheese, butter, lemon peel, and melted white chocolate in processor until smooth. Add powdered sugar; process until smooth. Spread frosting on cupcakes. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

Yum!

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Coconut? Well didn't that just ruin a good thing (sorry, not a coconut fan, unless it's in a daiquiri :) )

Wonder if I can delete it?

Kristen Painter said...

Hotrod doesn't like coconut either. I love it!

Kate Karyus Quinn said...

Oooh, sounds yummy!

PatriciaW said...

They sound yummy! For a few more steps toward healthy, how about we substitute something else for at least half of the sugar (Splenda or something); change the pecans to sliced almonds; and use unsweetened coconut?

I'm swearing off baking for a while--still recovering from the holidays--but I'm printing this one out. Thanks, Jennifer.

Diane Craver said...

Thanks for the recipe. Sounds good.

And just saw you haven't been feeling well - hope you aren't as congested and are getting over your cold.

lainey bancroft said...

I love pineapple, carrot and even coconut. And YUM, can I ever join into something that calls itself 'healthy' and has white chocolate AND cream cheese...preheating the oven as we speak.......

lainey bancroft said...

Sorry for the double hit. Just wanted to say:
-hope you're feeling better
&
-lol at Debora. Such a writer! She doesn't want to omit, opr leave out the coconut. She's going to 'delete' it. Love it!

Bethanne said...

Mmm. I might make the frosting alone! Wow. white chocolate and cream cheese?