Carrot Cupcakes

1 cup flour

1 teaspoon each: baking soda, cinnamon

2 eggs

³/4 cup sugar

²/3 cup canola or vegetable oil

2 teaspoons grated orange zest

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup finely chopped or grated carrots

³/4 cup golden raisins

¹/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts plus 12 walnut halves

Cream cheese frosting, recipe below
Sift flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; set aside. Beat the eggs and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth and thick. Reduce speed to low; mix in the oil, orange zest and vanilla.. Mix in the dry ingredients.. Stir in the carrots, raisins and chopped walnuts.

Pour batter into 12 lined muffin tins to about ¹/2 inch below the tops. Bake in preheated 350-degree oven until cupcake feels firm and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 28 minutes. Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 minutes; remove from tin to cool completely on rack. Frost each with about 2 tablespoons of the frosting; top each with a walnut half. Makes 12 cupcakes.

Cream-cheese frosting: Beat ¹/2 stick butter, 3 ounces cream cheese and ¹/2 teaspoon vanilla extract until smooth and thoroughly blended. Add 1¹/2 cups confectioners' sugar, mixing well. Stir in 1 teaspoon grated orange zest, if desired. Makes 1¹/2 cups.

Nutrition information per cupcake (with frosting): 409 calories, 52 percent of calories from fat, 24 g fat, 5 g saturated fat, 53 mg cholesterol, 46 g carbohydrates, 4 g protein, 222 mg sodium, 2 g fiber
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