Carrot cake cupcakes with cream cheese icing - gluten and sugar free

I got to catch up with a gorgeous and dear friend today. It was very exciting to hear about her wedding plans. She will make a most beautiful bride and the wedding will be divine! 

I wanted to be able to offer her something to eat and keep it on the healthy side; she is great at looking after herself and eating well. I've had my eye on this recipe for a while.  It is gluten and sugar-free and is another 'I Quit Sugar' recipe - 'Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Cinnamon Frosting.  

I've made minimal changes;  substituting pecans for walnuts, and using skim milk instead of coconut milk.  I omitted the ground ginger and added some coconut on top instead of using more walnuts (only because I ran out!)

I grated the carrot using the attachment on my mixer and ran the walnuts through as well. It chopped them up nicely. 

I really enjoyed the cupcakes.  They aren't overly sweet, but they have a nice texture and crumb.  I think they are more like a muffin than a cupcake so make sure you don't over mix when combining the wet and dry ingredients.

I will make them again, but I would decrease the butter content in the icing and increase the cream cheese to make up the difference.  If you like things sweeter, you could easily add some extra rice malt syrup to the icing or use a little stevia or xylitol.  Some mashed banana in the cake mixture would also work to sweeten in up a little.

Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Icing  
(barely adapted from this recipe)

• 2 1/2 cups gluten-free plain flour.
• 1 teaspoon bicarbonate soda.
• 1 teaspoon baking powder.
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon.
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg.
• 3 small carrots, grated.
• 1 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted.
• 1/2 cup milk of your choice.
• 1/2 cup rice malt syrup.
• 2 eggs.
• shredded coconut to serve

Cream Cheese and Cinnamon Icing

• 100 g cream cheese, softened.
• 75 g butter, softened.
• 1 tablespoon rice malt syrup.
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon.

1. Preheat oven to 180ºC. Grease a 12 hole muffin pan.

2. Combine the flour, soda, baking powder, spices, carrots and pecans a bowl. Make a well in the centre.

3. Add coconut milk, syrup oil, and eggs. Mix until just combined. Spoon mixture evenly into prepared pan.

4. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden. Stand in pan for 5 minutes. Turn onto a wire rack to cool.

5. To make frosting, beat cream cheese, butter, syrup and cinnamon with a electric beater until light and fluffy. Spread cream cheese mixture over cooled cupcakes. Top with extra pecans.

Linking up with Katie for Healthy Habits - check it out for other healthy ideas!

Happy baking
Dani

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