Carrot Cupcakes with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour, sifted
• 1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour, sifted
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp ground ginger
• 2 Tbsp neutral-flavored oil, such as canola
• 1/2 cup Sucanat or firmly packed light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp unsweetened applesauce
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cup finely grated peeled carrots, about 2 medium (A microplane grater works best)
• 4 oz 1/3-less-fat neufchatel cream cheese, at room temperature
• 2-4 Tbsp pure maple syrup (2 was sweet enough for me, but adjust according to your palate)
• 1/8 tsp pure maple extract