Carrot Cupcakes

It's been quite some time since I whipped up some cupcakes and I had the urge to do just that the other day.  Of course I loved them- even after the fact that I did substitute some "good things" for "bad things" in this recipe.  If I hadn't told everyone they were better for you they never would have known the difference!

Carrot Cupcakes - adapted from Martha Stewart's Cupcakes book

Makes 24 (2 or 3 for each person...haha)

• 1 pound carrots, peeled and finely grated
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 2 cups sugar (1 substituted 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of agave nectar)
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil (substitute with applesauce)
• 1 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise, with seed scraped and reserved (or 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract)
• 3 cups all purpose flour ( I used all wheat flour)
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/8 tsp ground cloves

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.  Line standard 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.  Stir flour mixture into carrot mixture until well combined.
2. Divide batter evenly among cups, filling each three-quarters way full.  Bake, rotating tins halfway through until cake tester inserted comes out clean, roughly 23-28 minutes.  Transfer tins to wire rack to cool for 10 minutes then turn cupcakes out and allow to cool completely on the racks
3. Frost them and eat them!

Cream Cheese frosting

(I halved this recipe)

• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, at room temp
• 12 ounces cream cheese at room temp
• 1 pound (4 cups) confectioners sugar
• 3/4 tsp pure vanilla extract

1. With mixer on medium-high speed beat butter and cream cheese and butter until fluffy.  Reduce speed to low and add sugar, 1/2 cup at a time and then add the vanilla and mix until smooth and combined, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.



I have a sad story to tell you and it's something I know you can relate to.  Here it is.  After a great, long weekend I had to go back to work today.  Tragic, manic Monday.  But I won't complain about it.  I'll be strong.  To help me cope I think I'll go find something good to eat.  Oh and speaking of good to eat, I forgot to share my last hurrah (in the form of a cupcake), my goodbye to the 4 day weekend: Strawberry Jam Cakes.  Martha Stewart told me about them and so I figured I'd give them a try. 

Everybody, meet my new cake stand.  Cake stand, everybody (thanks Mom!!!)

STRAWBERRY-JAM TEA CAKES (from Martha Stewart's cupcakes)
       ( Makes 16)

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temp. plus more for tins
• 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for tins
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 tsp finely grated orange zest
• 4 large eggs, separated and at room temp.
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 cup strawberry jam or preserves
• Citrus Glaze (made with orange juice and zest)

1. Preheat oven to 350 Degrees F.  Brush standard muffin tins with butter and dust with flour, tapping out the excess ( do not try to use liners as they will stick)Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.
2. With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter, sugar and zest until pale and fluffy.  Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated,scraping down sides of bowl as needed.  Reduce speed to low.  Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of milk, and beating until just combined after each.
3. In another bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, whisk egg whites to soft peaks; gently fold into batter.  Spoon 2 tbsp batter into each prepared cup. Make an indentation in the middle of each; fill with 1 tbsp jam.  Top with additional 2 tablespoons batter, covering jam completely.
4. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until cake tester inserted in centers of top layers comes out clean, about 30 minutes.  Remove from the oven.  Run a small offset spatula around the edges and turn out cakes onto wire racks and let cool completely.
5. To finish, drizzle cakes evenly with the glaze, let set around 30 minutes.  Glazed cupcakes can be stored up to 2 days in a single layer at room temp. in airtight containers.

P.S.  I would use about 1/2 tbsp of the jam.  1 tbsp of the jam makes it way too sweet!

CITRUS GLAZE

• 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted, plus more if needed
• 1/4 tsp finely grated citrus zest
• 3 tbsp fresh citrus juice, plus more if needed

Whisk together all ingredients until smooth.  If necessary add more sugar to thicken or more juice to thin the glaze.  Use immediately.