Carrot Cake Cuppy Cakes w/ Ginger Cream Cheese Frosting

I finally made them! I have had carrot cake cupcakes on my list for quite some time now, yesterday I went and bought everything and then I got too hot and opted for a nice quiet nap instead. This morning when I woke up I immediately went straight into the kitchen and starting whipping up these light and fluffy cakes. I can't wait to bring my sister one tomorrow when I go to Murrieta, as carrot cake is her favorite she will be my toughest critic, I hope. I used Ina Garten's recipe for the cake but added pineapple for extra tenderness. I can't wait to try one for myself when I meet Jim for lunch. Yay! For baking in the morning and beating the mid-day's sun.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 1/3 cups vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 3 extra-large eggs
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 3 cups grated carrots (less than 1 pound)
• 1 cup raisins
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 4 oz. Can of Pineapple Tid Bits
• 2 Packages cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 6 cups confectioners' sugar
• 2 tsp. Powdered Ginger

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

1. Beat the sugar, oil, and vanilla together in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add the eggs, 1 at a time. In another bowl, sift together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low speed, add 1/2 of the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Add the grated carrots, raisins, and walnuts to the remaining flour, mix well, and add to the batter. Mix until just combined.
2. Line muffin pans with paper liners. Scoop the batter into 24 muffin cups until each is 3/4 full. Bake at 400 degrees F for 10 minutes then reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F and cook for a further 15 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool on a rack.
3. For the frosting, cream the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add the sugar and beat until smooth. Add in Ginger once smooth.
4. When the cupcakes are cool, frost them generously and serve.