1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup light brown or golden sugar
1 1/4 cups oil
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
2 tsps baking powder
2 tsps baking soda
2 tsps cinnamon
1/2 tsps nutmeg
1/2 tsps salt
2 cups shredded carrots
1 cup golden raisins
1 cup unsweetened crushed pineapple, drained
Filling
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 tsps vanilla
1/3 to 1/2 cup powdered sugar
Frosting
1 cup butter, softened
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 TBS vanilla
4 to 6 cups powdered sugar
2 TBS heavy cream
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 F, line muffin tins with 24 cupcake liners. I use an ice cream scoop to fill liners and you may get more than 24 or less depending on how much batter you use. Don't over fill, 1/2 to 3/4 should give you nice looking cupcakes, anymore than that and the batter will overflow and you'll get crispy edges :)
Using an electric or stand mixer, beat eggs, oil and both sugars until smooth. Stir in vanilla. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Slowly mix dry ingredients into egg, oil and sugar mixture just until there are no clumps. Stir in carrots, pineapple and raisins, a few good stirs should distribute everything nicely.
Fill liners 1/2 to 3/4 full and bake 18 to 20 minutes. I check with a toothpick at 18 minutes, if it comes out clean (I check a cupcake in the middle of the muffin tins not the outside edges) or almost clean, take them out of the oven. I remove cupcakes from the tins as soon as I can handle them, maybe 5 minutes, and place on a wire rack for 10 or 15 minutes, then I put them in the frig to cool off so I can fill them.
For the filling:
Beat softened cream cheese until smooth and creamy, stir in vanilla and then add powdered sugar, beat until creamy. Fill a decorating bag with the mixture and start filling cupcakes or, you can use a paring knife to cut out the center of cupcakes, fill and place the piece back on your cupcake. If you use a decorating bag and tip don't push tip all the way down to bottom of cupcake and fill slowly so you don't have filling coming out the top of the cupcake. This should be enough to fill 24 cupcakes. If you have any left, a couple of tablespoons, you can use it in your frosting.
Frosting:
Beat butter and cream cheese until smooth and creamy, stir in vanilla. Add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time and mix on low until incorporated. Add heavy cream and beat on medium for a few minutes. When you lift the beaters or paddle of stand mixer, the frosting should come off the beaters but not run off. If it's too runny, add another 1/2 cup to 1 cup of powdered sugar and beat on medium until smooth. The frosting should be creamy and fluffy so it's easier to pipe on the cupcakes.
Fill a decorating bag fitted with a large tip, twist the opening of the bag to keep the frosting from coming out the top. Holding bag over top of cupcake apply pressure and swirl on frosting starting at outside edge and work in a circle to center of cupcake.
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