Carrot Cake Cupcakes

Cupcake recipe adapted from Ina Garten

2 cups sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

1/3 cup applesauce

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup Egg Beaters
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3 cups grated baby carrots
1 cup raisins
1 cup chopped pecans
1 batch caramel butterscotch frosting

Preheat oven to 400.

Beat the sugar, oil, applesauce, and vanilla together in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Slowly add the Egg Beaters.

In another bowl, sift together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low speed, add 1/2 of the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Add the grated carrots, raisins, and pecans to the remaining flour, mix well, and add to the batter. Mix until just combined.

Line muffin pans with paper liners. Scoop the batter into 22 muffin cups until each is 3/4 full.

Bake at 400 degrees F for 10 minutes then reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F and cook for a further 35 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool on a rack.