Healthy Carrot Cupcakes

These cupcakes were made by budding pastry chef Julia Thompson for my book signing at Face In a Book back on January 11th. These are not your ordinary cupcake with sugar-laden frosting and more sugar in the cake. They are completely approved for my cancer-fighting diet. Some may describe them more like a muffin, but they are delicious none the less.

Book signing for The Prisoner of Carrot Castle

Bring these cupcakes as a healthy alternative for your child's birthday celebration at school. You can rest assured that you are not contributing to an over-sugared generation's addiction to sweets and resulting obesity problems.

Carrot Cupcakes

from Chris Pedersen

yield 1 - 2 dozen cupcakes

category Dessert

cuisine Vegan

ingredients

3 carrots

1/4 C water

2/3 C of coconut oil, melted)

2/3 C honey

1 egg

2 C whole wheat flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp lemon extract

1/2 C chopped walnuts

1 tsp lemon zest

1/4 C coconut sugar

directions

1. Preheat oven to 350º

2. Run carrots through juicer and use juice and pulp OR finely grate carrots.

3. Add water to carrots and cook over very low heat for 10 minutes, stirring often to keep pulp from scorching. Let cool completely.

4. In large bowl, mix together the oil, honey and egg. Then add the cooled carrot mixture.

5. In separate bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt.

6. Add carrot mixture to dry ingredients and mix well.

7. Add vanilla and lemon extracts, chopped walnuts and lemon zest.

8. Pour into cupcake papers and sprinkle with coconut sugar.

9. Bake for 20 minutes. Test with toothpick.

The recipe yields 1 to 2 dozen cupcakes depending on whether you use the mini-cupcake papers or the full-size.

What do you think? Cupcake or muffin?