Carrot Cupcakes With Ginger-Cream Cheese Icing

• Cupcakes
• all-purpose flour↗1 cup
• baking powder↗3⁄4 teaspoon
• baking soda↗3⁄4 teaspoon
• salt↗1⁄2 teaspoon
• ground cinnamon↗1⁄2 teaspoon
• sugar↗3⁄4 cup
• vegetable oil↗2⁄3 cup
• large eggs↗2
• finely grated peeled carrots1 1⁄2 cup
• crushed pineapple in juice, drained↗1⁄4 cup
• Ginger-Cream Cheese Icing
• cream cheese, room temperature↗6 ounces
• unsalted butter, room temperature↗6 tablespoons
• confectioners' sugar↗3 cups
• teaspoons fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated↗2 -3

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Preheat oven to 350°F Line twelve 1/3-cup muffin cups with paper liners. Sift first 5 ingredients into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat sugar, oil and eggs in large bowl until well blended. Add dry ingredients to egg mixture in 2 additions, beating until well blended after each addition. Mix in carrots and pineapple. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filling each 3/4 full.

2. 2

   Bake cupcakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Turn cupcakes out onto racks and cool completely. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; store at room temperature.)

3. 3

   Spread top of each cupcake with scant 3 tablespoons Ginger-Cream Cheese Icing.

4. 4

   To make the icing: Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and butter in large bowl until smooth. Add powdered sugar and ginger; beat until fluffy and smooth. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill. Bring to room temperature, then beat until fluffy before using.).