Spiced Carrot Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Prepare your cupcake tin by buttering or lining the cups and set aside for now

In a large bowl, combine 1/2 cup of vegetable oil, 2/3 cups of brown sugar, 1/3 cup of granulated sugar, 1/4 cup of unsweetened apple sauce, 2 large eggs and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract until smooth

In a separate bowl, whisk 1 1/4 cups of all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon of baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger, 1/4 teaspoon of all spice, 1/8 teaspoon of ground nutmeg, a pinch of black pepper and a pinch of cardamom until fully incorporated

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined

Fold the grated carrots and finely chopped nuts into the batter

Divide the batter between 12 cupcake tins (each tin should be around 3/4 of the way full)

Bake in a 350 degree oven for around 16 minutes or until they are lightly golden and a toothpick will come out of the center of a cupcake clean

Transfer the pan onto a cooling rack and once the cupcakes are cool enough to touch, transfer them directly onto the cooling rack

Make the cream cheese frosting by whipping 8 ounces of room temperature cream cheese with 1/4 cup of room temperature butter until combined

Gradually add 2 cups of sifted confectioners sugar and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and beat until smooth and creamy

Frost fully cooled cupcakes generously with cream cheese frosting

Garnish with additional finely chopped walnuts (optional)

Store in an airtight container at room temperature or the refrigerator