So I'm writing this post a good two weeks before you are actually going to be read. You must know by now that I am in Europe for a little "I turn 30" hooray and now I'm actually in Rome! Nothing like Easter week in Italy right? Anyway, here are my thoughts on this beautiful recipe it two weeks ago. :)
Easter is just around the corner !!! And when we think of Easter, we believe ultimately on rabbits right? And rabbits like carrots ... while we make cookies for Santa-how about delicious carrot cake for Mr. Easter Bunny?
I always liked carrot cake because it was one of the few "cakes" that my mother made for us when we were children. His recipe (which I will share with you all finally) was full of healthy whole wheat flour things-, natural sugar, pineapple and nuts. Although I love this version, and will probably do so for my children, I'm looking for something a little different for these cupcakes.
I wanted a light consistency and fluffy texture was full of spices. Cream cheese frosting was, of course, a must- and I topped them with a generous spoonful and a pinch of cake crumbs. (It happens that I find strangely small carrot cakes difficult to fill. Maybe I need to learn to make these cute marzipan carrots?)
This recipe n has not failed and it became my go-to carrot cake for my collection of recipes. Feel free to add nuts and raisins if you dig that, (I really do not!) I am a fun gift for you every Wednesday, and I'll be back in my kitchen and at the end of the week to begin the process of boring you with pictures of the trip. :)
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon of powdered bicarbonate
- ½ teaspoon soda coffee
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg
- ¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 cup of light packed brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons buttermilk or yogurt
- ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- grated carrots 1½ cup (from 4 medium carrots )
- 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, room temperature
- ¼ cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
- cups confectioners sugar 2-3
- 1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line 12 mold cups standard muffins with paper liners
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. put aside.
- In another large bowl, whisk the melted butter, brown sugar, egg, buttermilk and vanilla. Stir in carrots. Gradually add dry ingredients to butter mixture mixture until well combined arms, but not too mixed. Spoon into muffin pan. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
- Remove from pan to wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
- using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese, butter and icing sugar until smooth; beat in vanilla. (If the frosting is too thick, add a few drops of milk or cream.)
- Frost or pipe on cupcakes as desired.