Love Cupcake

Carrot Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

These cupcakes are delicious. I think I say that about every cupcake recipe I post but, I really do mean it about every recipe. I made these carrot cupcakes in the fall and they were a big hit with my family. And with Easter being tomorrow this recipe may be perfect for your Easter brunch or dessert after dinner.

Carrot Cupcakes

(adapted from Martha Stewart) 

 

1 pound carrots, peeled and grated

3 large eggs, at room temperature

1/3 cup buttermilk

2 cups sugar

1 1/2 cups vegetable oil

1 vanilla bean, halved, seeds scraped and reserved (or 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract)

1/2 cup golden raisins

3 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1. Preheat oven to 325F and line muffin tins with paper liners. Whisk together carrots, eggs, buttermilk, sugar, oil, vanilla-bean seeds, and raisins. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger and cloves. Combine and stir the flour mixture into carrot mixture until well combined.

2. Fill lined baking cups evenly and about 3/4 full. Bake for 23 to 28 minutes or until poked with a  toothpick comes out clean. Allow cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.

 

Cream Cheese Frosting

(adapted from Martha Stewart)

1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

12 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

1 pound confectioners' sugar, sifted

3/4 tsp pure vanilla extract

In a bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter and cream on medium-high speed, until fluffy. Reduce speed to low and add sugar, 1/2 cup at a time and then add vanilla. Mix until smooth and combined and scraping down sides of bowl if needed. Frost cupcakes. Frosting can be kept in a refrigerator for up to 3 days in an airtight container. Before using bring to room temperature and beat on low speed until smooth again.

Enjoy! And Happy Easter!!

Won't you be my buttercream?

Buttercream is my favorite frosting for cupcakes and I believe every baker should have a good go to buttercream recipe. My favorite recipe for buttercream comes from Martha Stewart's Cupcakes book. I have used this recipe multiple times and in my opinion is the easiest and adaptable recipe ever. I love it. Oh, and it's delicious too.

Swiss Meringue Buttercream

(adapted from Martha Stewart's Cupcakes book)

5 large egg whites

1 cup plus 2 tbsps sugar

pinch of salt

1 pound unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons, room temperature

1 1/2 tsps pure vanilla extract

 

Combine the egg whites, sugar and salt in the heatproof bowl of a standing mixer set over a pan of simmering water. Whisk constantly by hand until mixture is warm to the touch and the has dissolved. The mixture should feel completely smooth when rubbed between your fingertips.

Attach the bowl to the mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and starting on low and gradually increasing to medium-high speed, whisk until stiif and not dry peaks form. Continue mixing until the mixture is fluffy and glossy, and completely cool. You can test by touching the bottom of the bowl. Takes about 10 minutes.

With the mixer on medium-low speed, add the butter a few tablespoons at a tim, mixing well after each adition. Once all the butter has been added, whisk in vanilla. Switch to paddle attachment, and continue beating on low speed until all the air bubbles are gone, about 2 minutes. Scrape the sides of bowl if needed and beat until frosting is completely smooth.

Keep buttercream at room temperature if using the same day, if not store in an airtigh container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze up to one month. Before using, bring to room temperature and beat with a paddle attachment on low speed until smooth, about 5 minutes.

And now for the variations...

-You can add color to your buttercream by adding gel-paste food color, dip a toothpick inside the gel-paste jar and dab into the buttercream. You can add as little or as much color as you would like but trust me when I say a little goes a long way.

-Chocolate buttercream is delicious, adds so much flavour to your buttercream. Yum!! to make, melt 4 1/2 ounces semisweet chocolate and allow to cool. Add into buttercream after adding the butter, along with the vanilla extract.

-Raspberry buttercream this one is so good too. Especially if you love raspberries, you can also do it with strawberries. Beat in 6 ounces (about one container) of raspberries after all the butter has been added and beat until the buttercream is not streaky.

 

(My sister and I making some buttercream for some Christmas cupcakes, 2009)

The best part about this recipe is that it gives you the chance to flavour it no matter how you want. You can experiment with different fruits as well so, give it try!!