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go agave: healthy recipes with agave

Agave Sweetened Carrot Cake Cupcakes

Rachel Going, Pastry Chef

yield: 12

Are you ready for a delicious twist on an all-time favorite? These carrot cake cupcakes are a knock-out!

Ingredients:

1 cup carrot, shredded
½ cup + 3 TBSP Nature’s Agave RAW agave nectar
¾ cup vegetable oil
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 tsp vanilla extract
½ cup crushed pineapple, drained
1¼ cup cake flour
½ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp cardamom
¼ tsp ginger
¼ tsp nutmeg
Zest of 1 small orange
½ cup pecans, toasted and chopped (plus more for garnish, optional)

Cream Cheese Frosting
1 # cream cheese, room temperature
1 stick (4 oz) butter, room temperature
5 TBSP Nature’s Agave AMBER agave nectar
¼ tsp salt
2 tsp lemon juice
¼ cup sour cream

Method:

For the cupcakes

Preheat oven to 325. In a large bowl, mix together shredded carrot, pineapple, vegetable oil, eggs, orange zest, vanilla and agave. Set aside. In another bowl, sift together flour, spices, salt, baking powder and soda. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Pour in wet ingredients, and gently mix until just blended. Add nuts and mix to combine. Divide among 12 paper lined cupcake pans. Bake 22 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool completely.

For the frosting:

Combine all ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the whip attachment, beat until fluffy, about 2 minutes.

When the cupcakes have cooled, frost with cream cheese frosting.  Garnish with extra toasted nuts.