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Carrot Cupcakes: Celebrate A Birthday And A Craving

Today is my brother’s 34th birthday so "Joyeux Anniversaire Arnaud"!

I had a serious craving for carrot cake or muffin or cupcake last night so I figured I would make a small batch and send him one via this blog as a token of my love and friendship.

I don’t mean to get all too sugary sweet but I am fortunate that over the years our relationship evolved as well as it has and from being bickering sibblings with a short age difference we are now able to go on vacation together, share a kitchen and forget about the small stuff. I only wish, now that I have finally discovered what a great guy he is, that we did not live that far away from each other as he and his family are in Toulouse, France.

Back to the recipe…I often precook vegetables on the weekends for the days I have late evening training sessions and the last thing I want is to spend one more minute on my feet. I remember I had cooked carrots, broccoli and cauliflower in the hope I’d get around to making pretty vegetable purees or souffles one night…did not happen so when I opened the freezer and found 2 cups of cooked pureed carrots the only thought that came to my mind was "carrot cake"…Eh Doc! At least I am getting my vegetables in…!

I had bookmarked the recipe ages ago and just got around to doing it, killing two birds with one stone by celebrating a birthday and indulging a craving. I decided not to use nuts or other fruit such as pineapple or raisins in the filling because all I wanted to taste was the sweetness of the carrots, but feel free to add them if you fancy them. Thank goodness I ended up giving most of them to the neighbors because I could have easily polished off a whole tray!

Carrot Cupcakes With Cream Cheese Frosting, adapted from Joy of Baking:

Makes 12 cupcakes

2 cups cooked and mashed carrots, cooled
2 cups (280 grams) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
4 large eggs
1 cup granulated white sugar
1 cup (240 ml) canola oil
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Cream Cheese Frosting:
1 stick (115 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
8 ounces (227 grams) cream cheese, room temperature
2 cups (230 grams) powdered sugar, sifted

Preheat oven to 350 and spray a muffin pan with cooking spray. I did not use muffin liners but feel free to do so.
In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and ground cinnamon. Set aside.
In bowl of electric mixer, beat the eggs until pale. Gradually add the sugar and beat until the batter is thick and light colored. Add the oil and the vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture and beat just until incorporated. Fold in the carrots and chopped nuts. Evenly divide the batter among the muffin tins and bake 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Remove from oven and let cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.

Frosting:
In bowl of electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter, on low speed, until very smooth with no lumps. Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar and beat, on low speed, until fully incorporated and smooth.

Decorate with nuts or coconut or anything you like.

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Comments


Anonymous March 21, 2007 um 3:41 am

These look so good. I have been looking all over for a carrot cake cupcake recipe for the longest time. Thanks so much for posting this! Happy B-Day to your brother!


Bonnie March 21, 2007 um 8:32 am

How funny, Helene! I too made carrot cupcakes on Monday night! (Yet to be posted)… There must be something in the air… These look picture perfect!


LILIBOX March 21, 2007 um 9:09 am

ils sont superbes .
Cela me tente de faire des gateaux à la carotte que pour l’instant je n’ai gouté qu’aux USA .


Lis March 21, 2007 um 9:47 am

These look scrumptious! I heart carrot cake so very much – and it’s my mom’s favorite cake as well. I love how you swirled the frosting and then sprinkled the nuts on top.. very pretty!!

Happy belated birthday to Arnaud!

xoxo


MyKitchenInHalfCups March 21, 2007 um 11:56 am

How wonderful to have discovered you like your brother! Sibling stuff can be tricky.
I’ve not seen carrot cake with cooked carrots before! I really should try the pastry bag for the frosting maybe I could get just a little ridge.
This look really great…carrot cake is way out in front of a lot of other cakes in my book!


Freya March 21, 2007 um 1:58 pm

Pretty! These look more like tartlets than cupcakes, but so good! Happy Birthday Day to your brother!


Cheryl March 21, 2007 um 2:44 pm

These look so refreshing. I have seen quite a few carrot cake recipes that just didn’t look good.

Yours look amazing and fresh. And the frosting looks just like vanilla custard on a cone.


Anonymous March 21, 2007 um 5:07 pm

Carrot cake…drool..is there a better or more delicious way to get your vitamins in? not in my book!


Anonymous March 21, 2007 um 6:41 pm

Those look killer good! You don’t live far from me, maybe we can arrange a weekly shipment of the goodies from your kitchen.


Kajal@aapplemint March 21, 2007 um 7:07 pm

Hey i love carrot cake and it was only recently that i discovered them. and this looks superb!Nice picture as they look as if i could just pluck one off the screen.


Chantal33 March 21, 2007 um 9:53 pm

Je découvre ton blog et c’est plein de choses très interessantes! merci de partager tes recettes!


Alpineberry Mary March 21, 2007 um 10:48 pm

They are the prettiest carrot cupcakes. Like the color of sunshine!


Mercedes March 22, 2007 um 12:32 am

Carrot cake is a requisite at my birthday every single year, I love it.
By the way, I didn’t know you worked at Mistral, I’ve eaten there several times as my family has a house on Pawley’s Island and we sometimes come into Charleston.


Peabody March 22, 2007 um 1:06 am

I’m always in favor of anything with cream cheese frosting!


laurence March 22, 2007 um 10:06 am

j’ai découvert ton site depuis peu et j’ai une petite question sur la creme coco honey si j’ai bien compris tu utilises du lait de coco et de la creme de coco ? peux tu m’en dire un peu plus car apres le salidou te creme me tente beaucoup merci d’avance amicalement
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Anonymous March 22, 2007 um 2:22 pm

Adorable! And I wish my icing piping skills were as good as yours 🙁

Oh – and happy birthday to your brother 🙂 I hope he had a good one!


Brilynn March 22, 2007 um 2:58 pm

That’s some classy carrot cake!


Alexandra August 13, 2009 um 1:07 am

This looks delicious! But exactly how much sugar? I assume 1 cup, but is that right?


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