Ingredients
-
2 cups sugar
-
1 1/3 cups vegetable oil
-
2 cups all-purpose flour
-
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
-
2 teaspoons baking soda
-
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
-
3 cups grated carrots (less than 1 pound)
-
1 cup raisins
-
1 cup chopped walnuts
-
-
3/4 lb cream cheese, at room temperature
-
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
-
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
-
1/2 lb unsalted butter, at room temperature
-
3 extra-large eggs
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F
- Beat the sugar, oil, and vanilla together in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.
- Add the eggs, 1 at a time.
- In another bowl, sift together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.
- With the mixer on low speed, add 1/2 of the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.
- Add the grated carrots, raisins, and walnuts to the remaining flour, mix well, and add to the batter.
- Mix until just combined.
- Line muffin pans with paper liners.
- Scoop the batter into 22 muffin cups until each is 3/4 full.
- Bake at 400°F for 10 minutes then reduce oven temperature to 350°F and cook for a further 35 minutes (**see note at bottom), until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool on a rack.
- Frosting:
- Cream the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.
- Add the sugar and beat until smooth.
- When the cupcakes are cool, frost them generously and serve.
- **I don't need to cook these for the entire additional 35 minutes. After I lower the temperature to 350°F; I start checking the muffins at around 15 minutes. Just keep watching them until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.