Healthy Carrot Cake Cupcakes for Baby's First Birthday

Celebrate your little one's first birthday with these delightful and nutritious carrot cake cupcakes! Made with wholesome ingredients like applesauce and finely grated carrots, these cupcakes are free from added sugars, making them a healthy treat for your baby. Top them with a creamy, sweetened cream cheese frosting for a bit of indulgence (optional).

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I can't believe my little man is one year old! Time flies. For the special occasion, and him officially allowed to eat honey, I wanted to make him a healthy treat that the older ones would also like.

I went to ChatGPT:

My son is turning 1. I want to make a birthday carrot cake

And got this recipe:

I then thought about the hassle of cutting and storing in the refrigerator so I refined:

Can you adjust the recipe to make it for cupcakes instead?

And it did:

As I was looking at the ingredients, I started wondering if my older kids would appreciate unsweetened frosting, so I asked ChatGPT:

The frosting and cake don't look sweet enough?

And it responded (not without making me feel like a terrible mother):

I do have some experience with cakes, and the frosting looked gross. So I asked:

I'm concerned the frosting will not hold and will be too sour. I'm ok with a little bit less healthy frosting. Should I add some powdered sugar or will that not work?

And here it is:

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Servings: 12 cupcakes

Calories per Serving: Approximately 220

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Bake Time: 18-22 minutes

Total Time: 38-42 minutes

Healthy Carrot Cake Cupcakes for Baby's First Birthday

Ingredients:

For the Cupcakes:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 2 large eggs

• 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce

• 1/3 cup maple syrup or honey (for babies over 1 year old)

• 1/4 cup vegetable oil or melted coconut oil

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 cup finely grated carrots

• 1/4 cup crushed pineapple, drained (optional)

• 1/4 cup raisins (optional)

For the Sweetened Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 1 cup cream cheese, softened

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 2 cups powdered sugar (adjust to taste)

• 1-2 tablespoons milk (if needed for consistency)

Instructions:

1. Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a muffin tin with paper liners.

2. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground ginger, and salt.

3. Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, beat the eggs. Add the applesauce, maple syrup (or honey), oil, and vanilla extract. Mix until well combined.

4. Combine: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Fold in the grated carrots, and if using, the crushed pineapple and raisins.

5. Fill the Muffin Tin: Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups, filling each about 2/3 full.

6. Bake: Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Allow the cupcakes to cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

7. Make the Frosting: In a medium bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and butter together until smooth and creamy. Add the vanilla extract and gradually add the powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, beating until well combined and smooth. Adjust the sweetness to taste. If the frosting is too thick, add 1-2 tablespoons of milk, one tablespoon at a time, until you reach the desired consistency.

8. Frost the Cupcakes: Once the cupcakes are completely cool, spread the frosting evenly over the top. You can decorate with additional grated carrots or a sprinkle of cinnamon if desired.

9. Serve: Enjoy celebrating your little one's special day with these delicious and healthier carrot cake cupcakes!

Nutritional Values per Serving:

• Calories: 220

• Fat: 12g

• Saturated Fat: 5g

• Cholesterol: 55mg

• Sodium: 220mg

• Carbohydrates: 27g

• Fiber: 1g

• Sugars: 19g

• Protein: 3g

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All Cupcake ingredients

Mix dry ingredients

Mix dry ingredients

Whisk eggs

Mix wet ingredients

Mix wet ingredients

Gradually add flour

Mix well

Add grated carrots

Add pineapple and raisins

Mix well

Line cupcake sheet

Fill 2/3 through with batter

Bake

Set aside to cool

Prep frosting

Whisk cream and butter

Whisk until creamy and fluffy

Add vanilla extract

Whisk well

Gradually add powdered sugar

Gradually add powedered sugar

Gradually add powedered sugar

Mix until desired firmness

Do your thing with food color

This is how I put frosting in

Tadah!

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