Carrot Cupcakes with Orange Icing

Preparation

1. Make cupcakes:

   Step 1

   Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle. Line muffin cups with paper liners.

   Step 2

   Coarsely grate enough carrots to measure 2 cups using large teardrop holes of a box grater.

   Step 3

   Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg in a bowl.

   Step 4

   Whisk together oil, eggs, brown sugar, grated carrots, and vanilla in a large bowl, then stir in flour mixture until just combined.

   Step 5

   Divide batter among muffin cups and bake until golden and a wooden pick inserted into center of a cupcake comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes.

   Step 6

   Cool in pan on a rack 10 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pan and cool completely on rack, about 1 hour more.

2. Make icing:

   Step 7

   Sift confectioners sugar into a bowl. Whisk in zest and 2 tablespoons juice until smooth. If icing is too thick, add more juice, 1 teaspoon at a time. Dip top of each cupcake into icing, letting excess drip off. Put a carrot curl on top of each and let icing set, about 15 minutes.