Makes 8-10 cupcakes

 

Ingredients

 

100g butter, melted

1 tsp baking powder

130g wholewheat flour

60g maple syrup

60g dark brown sugar

100g carrots, grated

1/2 banana mashed to a paste

1 egg

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground ginger

80g walnuts chopped or smashed until small pieces

 

Icing

 

200g Philadelphia cream cheese (don't be tempted to use half fat as it doesn't work and in my experience Philadelphia is the best)

60ml maple syrup

 

Method

 

Preheat the oven to 180C.

 

Line your muffin tin with 10 cupcake cases.

 

Place your melted butter, dark brown sugar, maple syrup and egg into a large bowl and mix all together.

 

Add your grated carrot, crushed nuts and mashed banana.

 

Sieve over your wholewheat flour, baking powder, ginger and cinnamon. With a large metal spoon fold the mix together. Try not to over mix as it will result in a dense and heavier cake.

 

Spoon the mix into your cases and fill three-quarters full.

 

Place in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until firm to the touch and if a skewer is inserted into the cake it comes out clean.

 

Leave to cool on a wire rack.

 

Meanwhile mix together the cream cheese and maple syrup until thick and lump free.

 

Cut off the top, mounded piece of the cupcake and cut this in half. These are going to be your wings.

 

Spoon a little of the icing on top of the cake and place the wings on top so you create what looks like a butterfly on your cupcake.

 

If you don't want to include the icing these are delicious served on their own and can freeze brilliantly (un-iced).