Zucchini-Spice Cupcakes

I think I'm in love...with this new recipe!  Ever since last summer when I made Mini Zucchini Cakes that turned out super cute, but not as perfect as I would have liked, I have been looking for a new zucchini cupcake recipe.  I think I have found it!  Thanks Martha!

This recipe is super easy to follow. The lemon and the cloves are hidden in the picture above, but all of the other ingredients needed to make the muffin part of the cupcake are included. I used one regular zucchini and one yellow zucchini, mostly because that is what I had in the fridge. The recipe calls for 2 green ones.

Grate 'em up. This time, I grated the zucchini by hand since I didn't feel like cleaning my food processor. I love the colors of the green and yellow zucchini. 

Fill each muffin tin three-quarters full. This recipe makes 24 cupcakes.

 

Mmmm...the batter looks so yummy, even before it bakes in the oven.

Test by inserting a cake tester or tooth pick in the middle of a cupcake.  It should come out clean when ready.

Let cool and serve.

Zucchini-Spice Cupcakes

(Taken from Martha Stewart's Cupcakes p. 44)

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
2 cups packed light-brown sugar
3 cups packed grated zucchini (about 1 1/2 zucchini)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 24 muffin tins with paper liners and set aside. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.  In another bowl, whisk together the oil, eggs and vanilla and zest until well blended; whisk in brown sugar until smooth. Stir in zucchini, then add flour mixture and stir until just combined.

Divide the batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool completely before removing cupcakes. Cupcakes can be stored overnight at room temperature, or frozen up to two months, in air tight containers.

To finish, use a small offset spatula to spread cupcakes with frosting. Refrigerate up to 3 days in airtight containers; bring to room temperature before serving.

I prefer eating the cupcakes as muffins without any frosting. However, for those of you who especially love cream cheese frosting, once cooled, you will enjoy these cupcakes even more when they are spread with cream-cheese frosting.

Cream-Cheese Frosting

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

12 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

1 pound (4 cups) icing sugar, sifted

3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter and cream cheese until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes.  Reduce speed to low.  Add sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, then vanilla, and mix until smooth and combined, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. 

Enjoy!