Carrot Cupcakes with Cream "Cheese" Frosting

Happy Mardi Gras! We are having a food day at work tomorrow to celebrate. I love my co-workers and I want them to have yummy vegan food. I've made these cupcakes as a whole cake a couple times but this is the first time making them as a cupcake. I don't understand the whole cupcake "craze", but cupcakes are a good way to serve cake in individual servings at a social function. And these turned out pretty well if I do say so myself.

• 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon allspice
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 3 "eggs" (I used Ener-G Egg Replacer)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3/4 cup vegetable shortening
  
• 2 cups carrots, finely grated
• 1 can (14 ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained
• 1 cup shredded coconut, unsweetened (if you can only find sweetened, cut down on the sugar)
  

Cream "Cheese" Frosting:

• 1 (8 ounce) package vegan cream cheese
• 1/3 cup vegan margarine (I used Earth Balance)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2-3 cups vegan powdered sugar (It will depend on how you want the frosting to look. I wanted my frosting to set up a little more, so I used 3 cups)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
   
2. Blend the sugars, shortening, eggs, and vanilla in a stand mixer.
3. In another bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, allspice and salt
4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. It will be a little dry.
   
5. Add the pineapple and carrots- it should now look more like cake batter.
6. Put into cupcake pan and bake for 40-45 minutes (I got 18 cupcakes)
7. To make the frosting, mix all the ingredients until you get the consistency you want. DO NOT FROST UNTIL THE CUPCAKES ARE TOTALLY COOL. I know it's hard to wait when you have delicious smelling cupcakes, but believe me, you will be glad you waited.
8. I topped mine with a little extra coconut, but that's totally your call. eat!

This recipe brought to you by "The Suburbs" by Arcade Fire

This may not be the best recipe to start adding Nutritional Info, but here you go!

Nutritional Info

• Servings Per Recipe: 18
• Amount Per Serving
• Calories: 360.1
• Total Fat: 17.8 g
• Cholesterol: 6.4 mg
• Sodium: 290.2 mg
• Total Carbs: 51.7 g
• Dietary Fiber: 1.3 g
• Protein: 2.3 g