Fall is approaching fast! Signature fall flavors return to the kitchen and are enjoyed all throughout the season. The blend of spices makes this the perfect cupcake take on a fall classic! To make recipes gluten-free, I use a ratio of 1 cup regular flour to 1 cup gluten-free flour. With this, no other changes to the recipe are necessary!

Ingredients:

Base
1¼ cups gluten-free flour
1 tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
¼ tsp ground ginger
¼ cup canola oil
1 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
½ cup unsweetened applesauce
1 tsp vanilla
1½ cups finely shredded carrots

Frosting
8 ounces cream cheese (room temperature)
1 stick unsalted butter (room temperature)
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups powdered sugar
¼ cup finely shredded carrots

Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a standard muffin tin with cupcake liners.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together oil, brown sugar, and eggs. Then stir in applesauce, vanilla, and carrots. Add the dry ingredients and mix until combined.
4. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups. Bake for 20 minutes, or, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.
5. In a medium sized bowl, beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla on medium-high speed until the frosting is light, creamy, and smooth. On low speed, gradually add in the sugar and beat until fluffy.
6. Frost cupcakes and decorate with shredded carrots (optional).

This recipe also appears in our September 2022 print edition.