American Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting (12)

Preheat oven to 177°C and line a 12-cup muffin tin with 12 paper cupcake liners.

Whisk 166g flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp batter salt, 1 tsp cinnamon, 3/4 tsp ginger and 1/4 tsp nutmeg in a large bowl.

In a second bowl whisk 120ml oil, 200g brown sugar, two eggs, 80g unsweetened applesauce and 1 tsp batter vanilla.

Freshly grate and roughly chop 200g carrots; stir into wet ingredients, then fold wet mixture into dry just until no flour remains.

Divide the batter among 12 liners, each about three-quarters full, leaving room for the cupcakes to rise.

Bake at 177°C for 21–23 minutes, until a skewer inserted in the center comes out without wet batter. Transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Beat 224g cream cheese with 113g soft unsalted butter. Add 360g confectioners' sugar, 1 tsp frosting vanilla and 1/8 tsp frosting salt; beat smooth and chill to firm up.

Once completely cool, spread or pipe the cream-cheese frosting equally over all twelve cupcakes. Do not frost warm cupcakes.

Because of the cream-cheese topping, refrigerate finished cupcakes at or below 4°C within two hours and eat within 3–4 days.