Carrot Cake Cupcakes- Week 3

Is it a cupcake or is it a muffin?  Maybe it is a little of both!  Either way I'm very pleased with how these turned out.  The cupcake and icing recipe is from the cook book The Cleaner Plate Club.  I LOVE LOVE LOVE this cookbook and my family enjoys it as well.  I would highly recommended it to everyone, but especially those who are interested in whole foods.  As a cooking novice, I have found this book extremely informative, and the recipes are tasty.  Now back to the cupcakes....
 
Ginger-Carrot-Raisin Cupcakes
Ingredients:
1 1/2 c plus 1 tablespoon whole wheat flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 c brown sugar
1/2 c canola oil or applesauce (I used canola oil)
3 eggs
1 tsp orange extract
3 1/2 cup shredded carrots
1 c raisins
2 T chopped crystallized ginger
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven. 350 degrees
2. Combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl, and mix well.
3. In a seperate large bowl, combine brown sugar, oil, eggs, and orange extract. Cream with an electric mixer.  Slowly add dry ingredients, mixing just until blended.  Fold in carrots, raisins, and ginger.
4. Spoon batter into 12 muffin cups with liners (When I made this it made almost 20) Bake for about 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center come out clean. Cool completely.

Cream Cheese Frosting-
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
4 T butter, softened
1 tsp orange extract
2 c confectioners sugar

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a medium sized bowl.  Cream with an electric mixer until fluffy. 

  
Candied Carrot Curls

I topped the cupcakes with candied carrot curls.  I followed the process I found on The Cup Project Blog. At first look, these seemed a little difficult.  They were much easier than I anticipated, so don't be intimidated by all the step.  With that said, it took me two attempts to successfully make these unique finishing touches.  The first time around I followed the recipe exactly, or at least I think I did.  The bake times were much too long.  I don't know if this is because my oven is extremely off or if my carrot curls were too thin.  When I took them out of the oven they crumbled before I could curl them.  So...my boys had a tasty carrot candy snack while I started Candied Carrot Curls round 2.  This time I changed the water sugar ratio and monitored the cook time more closely. I have noted the changes I made in the recipe. 

Ingredients

1 large carrot or 2 medium carrots
1 cup water (I used 1 1/4c)
1 cup sugar


Directions

1. Peel layers from carrot lengthwise on one side with peeler until you begin to get wide slices. Peel wide strips, reserving them, until you get about 15 ( I used the entire carrot)
2. Bring water and sugar to a boil in a small heavy saucepan, stirring until sugar has dissolved.
3. Add carrot strips and simmer, uncovered, 15 minutes. 
4. Strain through a sieve into a bowl, discarding syrup.
5. Let stand 15 minutes.
6. Preheat oven to 225 F with rack in middle.
7. Line a large baking sheet with nonstick liner, then arrange candied carrot slices flat in 1 layer on sheet

8. Bake until dry but still flexible, about 30 minutes. (I baked mine for about 13 minutes)
9. Wind carrot strips, 1 at a time, around end of handle of a wooden spoon in a loose spiral, then slip off each curl and return, seam sides down, to lined baking sheet

10. Return curls to oven to dry until crisp, 30 to 45 minutes more. ( I baked mine for about 15 minutes)
11. Cool completely on baking sheet.  Carrot curls can be made 5 days ahead and cooled completely, then kept in an airtight container at room temperature. Recrisp in a 250 F oven 10 minutes. Don't put them on your cake until just before serving or they will get