I swear I had to make them for a photo assignment

I had this assignment to shoot metal, glass and liquid all in the same image and I have been feeling the urge to bake. It's that season and all. But since I can't use my normal stuff I started looking for alternate recipes. Then it hit me! Carrot cake cupcakes! I could photograph those with metal and liquid and glass in the shot...I have this awesome all purpose gluten free flour mix by Pamela's Products. So I found a recipe using it and tweaked here and there to make oh my God yummy gluten free carrot cake cupcakes...with...maple spice cream cheese frosting! I had to do it for my photo assignment really...

Here is one of the images I am submitting for my project.

Now for that recipe...

Whatcha need:

A little more than 1/2 Cup of veggie oil (the original called for  more oil than I wanted to add so I cut it back by like a 1/4 cup or so)

2 eggs
3/4 Cup of sugar
1 1/2 Cups grated carrots
1 tsp Vanilla
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp salt
2 Cups of Pamela's Baking & Pancake mix
1/2 (I used way less) walnuts (optional)

Beat oil, eggs and sugar together, then mix everything else together. The batter will get thick.
Get your cup cake papers in your pans and spoon batter into them.
Heat your oven to about 350F and bake for about 20-25 min depending on how your oven handles. Just keep an eye on them!

Now for that frosting...I will admid that I used real cream cheese and butter because, I live about an hour away from a Whole Foods where I can buy vegan cream cheese and I really didn't feel like using my vegan cream cheese up...I have a recipe using non dairy and I will try it another time and let you know how it tastes...

Maple Spice Cream Cheese Frosting

8oz of cream cheese at room temp
1 stick of unsalted butter at room temp
1 Cup sugar
1/2 tsp Vanilla
1 TBS (or more) Maple Syrup
Allspice

Mix the cream cheese and butter together first until smooth
then add everything else. From here it's sort of by taste. Make sure you use real maple syrup!
Add the allspice according to how you like it and then you're all set!
Frost your cupcakes once they are cool!

YUM!