Carrot Cupcakes with White Chocolate Cream Cheese Icing recipe

12 servings

2 ounces white chocolate

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon orange extract

4 cups confectioners' sugar

2 tablespoons heavy cream

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 1/8 cups white sugar

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups shredded carrots

1/2 cup crushed pineapple

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Lightly grease 12 muffin cups.

In small saucepan, melt white chocolate over low heat.

Stir until smooth, and allow to cool to room temperature.

In a bowl, beat together the cream cheese and butter until smooth.

Mix in white chocolate, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and orange extract.

Gradually beat in the confectioners' sugar until the mixture is fluffy.

Mix in heavy cream.

Beat together the eggs, white sugar, and brown sugar in a bowl, and mix in the oil and vanilla.

Fold in carrots and pineapple.

In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger.

Mix flour mixture into the carrot mixture until evenly moist.

Fold in 1/2 cup walnuts.

Transfer to the prepared muffin cups.

Bake 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.

Cool completely on wire racks before topping with the icing and sprinkling with remaining walnuts.