Carrot Cake Cupcakes with White Chocolate Buttercream (Gluten-Free)

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup; 4 oz; or about 120g chopped white chocolate, melted and cooled to room temperature
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened but cool, cut into cubes
• 4 to 6 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 tsp pure vanilla
• 3 tbsp heavy cream
• A few drops of flavoring, optional
• A little food coloring (preferably gel), if desired
• 1-1/2 cups (180g) all-purpose flour or gluten-free flour blend
• 1-1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1-1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 cup + 2 tbsp (112.5g) granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup (34g) firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups shredded carrots (from about 4 medium carrots)
• 1/2 cup crushed canned pineapple (most of an 8 oz can)
• 1/2 cup mini white chocolate chips
• 1 cup walnuts or pecans, chopped and divided

Instructions

1. 1

   Carrot Cake Cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly butter muffin cups or line them with paper liners.

2. 2

   In a mixing bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Set aside.

3. 3

   In your stand mixer, beat together the eggs, white sugar, and brown sugar until creamy. Beat in the oil and vanilla. Beat the flour mixture into the carrot mixture until evenly moist. Fold in the carrots, pineapple, and 1/2 cup of the walnuts. Divide evenly in the prepared muffin cups.

4. 4

   Bake 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack. Cool completely before topping with the icing.

5. 5

   Buttercream Frosting: Melt the white chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, stirring often to avoid scorching. When fully melted, remove from the heat and cool slightly so it won't melt the butter.

6. 6

   Place the butter in the bowl of your standing mixer and beat until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the white chocolate, beating until fully incorporated. Add 4 cups of the sugar, the vanilla, and cream. Beat until thick, creamy, and fluffy. Add more sugar if needed for the right consistency. Add the flavoring and coloring if using.

7. 7

   Transfer some of the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a Wilton 2D tip (for roses) or tip of your choice, and pipe a dollop in the center then continue piping, circling the center in increasingly larger circles, until you have completely covered the top.

8. 8

   Sprinkle the tops with the remaining finely chopped walnuts or decorate as desired.

9. 9

   There is a great video from Diane of Created by Diane showing you how to pipe a rose frosting on cupcakes. If you want to learn four different techniques, watch this video from Cakes by Lynz.