Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Step 1: Heat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Line a 12-hole muffin tin with cupcake liners.

Step 2: Drain the crushed pineapple well, reserving the juice. Measure out 3/4 cup pineapple and 2 tablespoons pineapple juice.

Step 3: Whisk the dry ingredients together in a large bowl.

Step 4: In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, vinegar, eggs, sugar, oil and the 2 tablespoons pineapple juice.

Step 5: Stir the carrot, crushed pineapple, coconut and chopped nuts into the wet ingredients.

Step 6: Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients. Stir only until the flour is no longer visible. The batter will be lumpy from the stir-ins and thick, but runny.

Step 7: Divide the batter among the 12 lined muffin-tin holes.

Tip: A 3-tablespoon levered ice cream scoop can make portioning easier.

Step 8: Bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Transfer the cupcakes to a cooling rack and let them cool completely before frosting.

Step 9: Using the paddle attachment on a stand mixer, or the whisk attachments on a hand mixer, beat the butter for 1 minute until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed.

Step 10: Add the cream cheese and beat for 1 minute until smooth.

Step 11: Add one-third of the icing sugar. Starting on the lowest speed, beat until mostly incorporated. Add half of the remaining icing sugar and beat it in, then add the rest and beat again.

Tip: Start on low speed to keep the icing sugar from puffing out of the bowl.

Step 12: Beat on high for 2 minutes until fluffy. Add the vanilla and salt, then beat briefly to incorporate.

Step 13: Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a round tip, or to a zip-top bag with a corner snipped off. Pipe it onto the cupcakes and sprinkle with chopped walnuts or pecans, if desired.