Pumpkin Carrot Cupcakes with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients (18 cupcakes):

Cupcakes:
¾ cup light brown sugar
½ cup butter, softened
2 eggs, room temperature
1 cup pure pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
½ cup maple syrup
2½ cups all purpose flour
1½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp pumpkin
pie spice (3 tbsp. ground cinnamon, 2 tsp ground ginger, 2 tsp ground nutmeg, 1 ½ tsp ground allspice,1 ½ tsp ground cloves)
½ tsp salt
1 cup shredded carrot

Maple Cream Cheese Frosting:
115 g softened cream cheese
½ cup softened butter (110 g)
2 tbsp. maple syrup
½ cup light brown sugar
1⅔ cups powdered sugar

Preparation:

Cupcakes:
Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Line muffin tin with cupcake liners.

Cream brown sugar and butter together in mixer.

Add in eggs, one a time, beating until fully combined.

Mix in pumpkin and maple syrup.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt.

Gradually add dry mixture to wet mixture, stirring just until combined.

Stir in shredded carrots.

Scoop batter into cupcake liners, filling about ¾ full.

Bake for 20 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Makes 18 cupcakes.

Maple Cream Cheese Frosting:
While the cupcakes are baking, prepare the frosting.

Beat all ingredients together until smooth. Allow several minutes for the brown sugar to dissolve completely. Check for graininess and then continue beating as necessary.

Let cupcakes cool completely before frosting. Store frosted cupcakes in fridge for a firmer frosting.