Grated Carrots + Carrot Cupcakes

I finally had some time to get in the kitchen to experiment more with grated carrots (and finally use my new oven)!

My future mother in-law is visiting this week (and hooking it up with home-cooked Korean dishes, totally awesome...a post on that will definitely be up soon) and her favorite dessert is carrot cake, so I tried to take a stab at making it.

Hey, carrot cake contains vegetables, so it's a healthy dessert :)

Carrot Cupcakes

(adapted from Joy of Baking Carrot Cake and Carrot Cupcakes and Alton Brown's Carrot Cake)

INGREDIENTS

6 medium carrots, peeled and finely grated (use a Microplane; organic carrots are recommended)

4 eggs

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon allspice

1/4 cup roasted and chopped walnuts (optional)

1/4 cup golden raisins or currants (optional)

DIRECTIONS

If you want to add walnuts, toast them whole (one layer) in the oven at 350 degrees F for 5 to 10 minutes until golden brown; chop into pieces.

Peel and grate carrots and set aside. This took me about 30 minutes and it makes for a great arm workout!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F at this point.

In a bowl, mix all dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice). Set aside

In another bowl, mix eggs and sugars until pale and smooth. Add vegetable oil and applesauce. Stir until incorporated.

Fold in grated carrots (and optional nuts and/or raisins).

Scoop two tablespoons in cupcake tins lined with baking cups.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center.

Makes 22 cupcakes.

This cake is so moist that no frosting is necessary, but if you want to make it extra sweet, a  nice cream cheese frosting or glaze would be a great accompaniment.