Sweet Zucchini Cupcakes with Orange Marscarpone Frosting

A Sweet Zucchini Cupcake with Orange Mascarpone Frosting, I cannot resist. I’m a huge fan of a good cupcake, particularly if I add cardamom and my mascarpone frosting. Not to mention the home grown zucchini, I knew instantly that this cupcake would suit my fancy.

With the spiciness of the cupcake and sweetness of the creamy frosting, brightened with the citrus flavor of orange zest made these cupcakes the perfect treat. Zucchini, which is a fruit, is low in calories, and contains useful amounts of folate, potassium and vitamin A, 1/2 cup of zucchini, also contains 19% of the recommended amount of manganese. Who knew? My family loved these delicious cupcakes, and I have a feeling we will see them often.

Sweet Zucchini Cupcakes with

Orange Marscarpone Frosting

1&1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup packed dark-brown sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1&1/2 cups zucchini, coarsely grated

1/3 cup vegetable oil

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

2 teaspoon vanilla

Mascarpone Frosting

8 oz mascarpone cheese

3/4 cup powdered sugar, or to taste

zest of orange, to taste

1/2 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cups of a standard (12-cup) muffin tin with paper or foil liners. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, mix together flour, brown sugar, baking powder, cardamom, cinnamon, and salt.

In another bowl, combine zucchini, oil, eggs, and vanilla; add to flour mixture, and mix just until combined, do not overmix.

Divide batter evenly among cups. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes.

Cool in tin on a wire rack for 5 minutes, turn cupcakes out, right side up, and cool completely.

Meanwhile, make frosting. With an electric mixer blend cheese, sugar, orange zest and vanilla together until smooth.

Using a spatula or butter knife, spread frosting on cupcakes. The frosted cupcakes are best eaten within 1 day. Which in this household, it's no problem :).

Enjoy!

adapted from Everyday Food