Recipe Time - Zucchini Cupcakes

Last week I was dying to bake.  Ok, I was trying to get out of laundry folding, but I'll bake any day of the week.

I froze bags and bags of zucchini from last year's harvest and decided it was time to use some.  I found an amazing zucchini cupcake recipe with an even more delicious caramel frosting from www.yourhomebasedmom.com/zucchini-cupcakes-with-caramel-frosting.  I'm not one of those people who eat the frosting and leave the cake, but I probably could with this one.  And with zucchini cupcakes, you feel like maybe you're getting a little healthiness out of the deal, right?  If you need some zucchini, I've got some for you.

So here's my take on the recipe.  Use up that zucchini!

3 eggs
1 1/3 c. sugar
1/2 c. low-fat sour cream or yogurt (she used vegetable oil)
1/2 c. orange juice
1 tsp. almond extract
2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1 1/2 c. shredded zucchini (if frozen, thaw and squeeze out as much water as you can)

Caramel Frosting

1 c. packed brown sugar
1/2 c. butter
1/4 c. milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 - 2 c. powdered sugar


In a mixing bowl, beat eggs, sugar, sour cream, orange juice and extract.  Combine dry ingredients; add to the egg mixture and mix well.  Add zucchini and mix.  Fill paper lined muffin cups two-thirds full.  Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.  Cool on a wire rack.  For frosting, combine brown sugar, butter and milk in a saucepan; bring to a boil over medium heat.  Cook and stir for 2 minutes.  Remove from the heat; stir in vanilla.  Cool to lukewarm.  Gradually beat in the powdered sugar until frosting reaches desired consistency.  Frost.  Makes 1 1/2-2 dozen cupcakes.