Carrot Cake Cupcakes

Ingredients

• 1 cup of chopped walnuts
• 1 pound of carrots
• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 cup of buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 2 cups of sugar
• 1 cup of vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon of orange zest
• 3 cups of all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon of baking soda
• 2 teaspoons of baking powder
• 1 teaspoon of kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon of ground cardamom
• 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
• 1 cup of unsalted butter, softened
• 16 ounces Philadelphia cream cheese
• 2 cups of powdered sugar, sifted

Directions

1. Set your oven to 350 degrees F. Spread the walnuts in the oven to toast for 5 minutes, then pull them out and leave them to cool. Tuck cupcake papers into 2 12-well cupcake pans.
2. In a bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, oil, sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, and orange zest until the mixture looks smooth and even. Add the grated carrots and stir them through.
3. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cardamom, and cinnamon with a whisk.
4. Add the dry mixture to the carrot mixture and fold it in gently, stopping before you overdo it. Fold in the toasted walnuts so they are distributed throughout.
5. Spoon the batter into the cupcake papers, filling them about 1/2 to 3/4 full. Bake at 350 degrees F for 19-21 minutes, turning the pan after the first 15 minutes.
6. Let the cupcakes rest for 5 minutes in the tin, then lift them out and let them finish cooling on a wire rack.
7. For the frosting, beat the cream cheese and butter on medium speed until they come together smoothly. Add the sifted powdered sugar and mix, then spread or pipe the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes.