Parsnip-pear mini cupcakes with cream cheese frosting
3
Points®
Total time: 35 min • Prep: 10 min • Cook: 10 min • Serves: 12 • Difficulty: Easy
These easy-to-make, adorable mini cupcakes can be assembled and baked in just 35 minutes. You'll love how the cinnamon, a pinch of ground nutmeg, and bright lemon zest balances out the sweetness of the parsnips and pears, which add heartiness and flavor while reducing the calories. The frosting can also be made in minutes and features the classics: cream cheese, powdered sugar, and milk. Just be sure to let the cupcakes cool before spreading with frosting to avoid any tearing, no matter how difficult it may be to resist (and yes, we know how difficult it can be!). Topping with coconut flakes makes for a prettier presentation and ties all the different sweet and savory ingredients together.
Ingredients
All-purpose flour
⅔ cup(s)
Ground cinnamon
1 tsp
Baking powder
½ tsp
Baking soda
¼ tsp
Table salt
¼ tsp
Ground nutmeg
1 pinch(es)
Egg
1 large egg(s)
Plain low fat yogurt
3 Tbsp
Canola oil
2 Tbsp
Vanilla extract
½ tsp
Lemon zest
½ tsp, grated
Uncooked parsnip
⅓ cup(s), shredded, peeled
Pear
46 gm, (1/3 cup) shredded, peeled
Reduced fat cream cheese (neufchâtel)
¼ cup(s), (light cream cheese)
Confectioners' sugar
2 Tbsp
1% low fat milk
1 tsp
Sweetened coconut flakes
2 Tbsp, toasted
Cooking spray
8 spray(s)
Instructions
1
Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 12-cup mini-muffin pan with nonstick spray or line with paper liners.
2
Stir together flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg in medium bowl. Whisk together egg, yogurt, oil, vanilla, and lemon zest in another medium bowl. Stir parsnip and pear into egg mixture. Add egg mixture to flour mixture and stir just until moistened.
3
Fill muffin cups evenly with batter. Bake until toothpick inserted into centers of cupcakes comes out clean, 10–12 minutes. Cool in pan on wire rack 5 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pan and let cool completely on rack.
4
To make frosting, with electric mixer on medium speed, beat cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, and milk in medium bowl until smooth. Spread frosting evenly onto cooled cupcakes. Sprinkle with coconut.
5
Per serving: 1 mini cupcake
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