Carrot Raisin Cupcakes

My entire family went nuts for these cupcakes! I love cream cheese frosting but most of all I love this moist and flavorful carrot cake. Is it wrong that I think it feels a bit healthier than the usual cake? So much so I ate them two mornings in a row with my morning coffee. It was so scrumptious and they reminded me a bit of a a wonderful muffin and I used that excuse to justify eating them so early. They do have pineapple, raisins and carrots in them after all. How healthy, right? They use a mix so they are extra easy!

Ingredients:

• 1 box Duncan Hines® Moist Deluxe® Decadent Carrot Cake
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup hot water (add carrot/raisin pouch and allow to stand 5 minutes)
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup drained crushed pineapple (variation: 1/2 c. white chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate chips)
• 1 –  16oz container Duncan Hines® Creamy Home-Style Cream Cheese Frosting (or your favorite homemade recipe)

Add carrot/raisin pouch to the 1 cup of water and allow to stand for a minimum of 5 minutes. In a mixing bowl, add cake mix, flour, baking powder, eggs, oil, drained pineapple, and carrot/raisin/water mixture. Mix by hand until completely blended, approximately 50 strokes. Pour batter into paper-lined cupcake pans 2/3 full.

Bake cupcakes for 20 – 22 minutes or until tops spring back when lightly touched. Cool in pans for 15 minute on wire rack, then remove from pans and cool completely on rack before frosting.

This recipe is courtesy of  Duncan Hines.