Easy Cream Cheese Frosted Carrot Pecan Cupcakes

For the cake:
Preheat oven to 170ºC (340ºF).

Whisk egg yolks and brown sugar until creamy and light in colour. Add remaining ingredients except egg whites and fold in until well-combined.

With an electric beater, beat egg whites until stiff. Fold gently into the cupcake mixture with a metal spoon.

Place paper cases in a cupcake pan, spoon in the mixture so the cases are 3/4 full. Bake for 20 minutes.

Take the cupcakes out of the cupcake pan and place them on cooling racks until cupcakes are completely cool.

For the frosting:
In a mixing bowl, use an electric beater to combine cream cheese and butter. Beat just until creamy and lump-free. Be careful not to over-beat or the frosting will become too soft.

Mix in the vanilla essence with a metal spoon, then gradually sieve in the icing sugar 1/2 cup at a time and mix in with a metal spoon.

Pipe or spread the frosting onto the cupcakes immediately and then serve straight away, or store them in the fridge until you are ready to serve them. You can also keep the frosting in a covered container in the fridge until you are ready to frost the cupcakes. The frosting is best used the same day.