Carrot Ginger Cupcakes with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

Cupcakes:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Insert 12 cupcake liners into a 12-muffin tin.

Chop pecans and put them into a small skillet set over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until the nuts are just starting to turn brown. Watch them closely that they do not burn. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, ground cinnamon, and ground cloves.

In a large bowl, stir together granulated sugar, unsweetened applesauce, and canola oil until thoroughly combined. Add eggs, one at a time, stirring well after each addition.

Gradually add the flour mixture and stir until just combined. Add grated carrots, golden raisins, pecans, and grated fresh ginger. Stir to combine.

Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin tin, filling each liner about 3/4 full. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cupcakes comes out clean, about 18 to 22 minutes. Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then remove and let cool completely on a wire rack.

Frosting:

In a large bowl, beat unsalted butter and cream cheese on medium speed until the mixture is light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Beat in pure vanilla extract and maple syrup. Gradually add in powdered sugar and beat until combined. Cover the bowl and chill for 1 hour. If the frosting seems too thin when you remove from the fridge, add more powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it reaches desired consistency.

Scoop the frosting into a cake decorating bag fitted with a large tip and decorate each cupcake with a swirl, starting from the inside and working in. Alternatively, you can use a ziploc bag and cut off the corner.