Teahive CuppaCake

Ingredients

Cupcakes:

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup shredded Teahive 
• 1 1/2 cups finely shredded carrots (about 2 medium carrots)
• 1/2 cup raisins soaked in 2Tbs orange juice and 2Tbs lemon juice 
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp finely chopped walnuts

Earl Grey Cream Cheese Frosting:

• ½ cup (1 stick) softened unsalted butter 
• 8 oz cream cheese (blocks) room temp.
• 1/4 cup heavy cream that has been seeped with Earl Grey tea and strained. 
• 1 tsp vanilla extract 
• ¼ tsp salt
• 4 cups powdered sugar

Recipe

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a standard muffin tin with paper liners.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, brown sugar, and eggs. Stir in the applesauce, vanilla, Teahive, raisins with juice from lemon and orange juice, and carrots. Add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Stir in 1/4 cup of the walnuts.
4. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups. Bake until a cake tester inserted comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Let cool completely.
5. For the frosting, combine butter and cream cheese and Earl Grey infused heavy cream in the bowl of a stand or hand mixer and beat until creamy and lump-free. Add vanilla extract and salt and stir well to combine.
6. With the mixer on low, gradually add powdered sugar until completely combined. Frost completely cooled cake or cupcakes.