Hi Ya'll! Okay, so I know I've posted carrot cake cupcakes before, but what can I say? These are one of our favorite cupcakes to make and to eat! I love trying out different recipes, and came across this one in my awesome Flour cookbook. The cream cheese frosting in this recipe is awesome! Not too sweet, but not too cream cheesy either. Its just right. This recipe can be used for carrot cake as well as making cupcakes. We just like the cupcakes better!
Carrot Cake Cupcakes:
2 eggs
1 cup packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup canola oil
3 tablespoons nonfat buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ginger
2 cups tightly packed shredded carrots
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped
Cream Cheese Frosting:
12 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature (about 4 hours). I use 2 whole blocks of cream cheese..
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened to room tepmerature
1 2/3 cup powdered sugar
Pre heat your oven to 350 degrees and line your muffin tin with paper liners ( or grease and flour an 8-inch cake pan)
Beat together the eggs and brown sugar until mixture is light and thick using the paddle attatchment on your mixer. In small bowl or pitcher whisk together the oil, buttermilk, and vanilla. Slowly pour oil mixture into the egg-sugar mixture.
In a small bowl. sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and ginger. using a rubber spatula, fold the flour mixture into the egg-sugar mixture. when most of it has been mixed in, add the carrots, raisins and walnuts. Continue to fold until the batter is well mixed. Pour batter into prepared pans.
Bake for about 50 minutes ( an hour and 20 minutes if your making a cake). Let cool on wire rack.
For the frosting:
Using your paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese until it is smooth. Add the butter and continue to beat for another minute or so. Scape the sides of the bowl and add the powdered sugar. Beat for another minute or until well blended.
Now if you would like to be fancy and add some decoration to your cupcakes, here is how to make some candied carrot strips.
Peel 1 carrot with a vegetable peeler. Then using the peeler press firmly to cut lengthwise paper this strips. Depending on the size of the carrot, you should have 8-10 strips.
In a small sauce pan combine 1 cup of sugar to 3/4 cup water and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add the carrot strips and boil for 10 seconds. Remove from heat and let the strips cool completely in the syrup.
Remove the strips from the syrup and gently blot any access syrup. Coil the strips into spirals and place on your cupcakes or cake.
Eat and Enjoy!
Do you have a favorite cupcake?
