Carrot Cupcakes
Why I Love This Recipe
From the Fall 2006 catalog of my favorite spice-monger, Penzeys.
Ingredients You'll Need
3 cups grated carrots
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
4 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup chopped walnuts
Frosting:
1/3 cup cream cheese
1/4 cup butter (1/2 stick)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups powdered sugar
Directions
Preheat oven to 325. Line muffin tins with paper cupcake liners. Peel carrots, chop off ends, and grate finely, which is easiest using a food processor. Sift flour, cinnamon, salt, baking soda, and baking powder together, set aside. In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs until well belended. Add sugar, oil, carrots, and vanilla, mix well at medium speed. Add flour mixture and walnuts. Blend on low speed until just mixed, spoon into cupcake lines, about 3/4 way full. Place the pans in the preheated oven and bake for 12 minutes. Switch the pans so the pan from the lower rack is now on the upper rack, and bake for 12 more minutes. Check for doneness-cupcakes should be browned and springy to the touch. Let cool completely before frosting.
To prepare frosting: let cream cheese and butter come to room temperature. Blend thoroughly with vanilla extract, then beat in the powdered sugar at low speed. Add food coloring if you like; it gives the frosting a nice spreading consistency. If you don't use food coloring, add a drizzle of milk to make the frosting spread more easily