I made these Mini Carrot Spiced Cupcakes almost 6 months ago, and promised to make them again without the nuts. I love nuts, but in these little cupcakes, I just thought a smoother texture throughout would work better. Today is my mom’s birthday so it was the perfect opportunity to make mini-cupcakes again, the perfect, travel on the train, going to a restaurant, birthday cake. No extra plates, knives, or forks needed, and her friends loved them. Here is my tweaked recipe:

Mini Carrot Spice Cupcakes

*photos updated on 11/30/10

Mini Carrot Spice Cupcakes
~makes about 30 mini cupcakes

  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1 cups white sugar
  • 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups shredded carrots
  • 1/2 cup packed shredded apple
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

cream cheese frosting

  • 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups confectioner’s sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray mini muffin pan with non-stick (Pam).
2. Beat eggs, white sugar, and brown sugar in a large bowl. Mix in the oil and vanilla, until completely blended. Mix in carrots and apple.
3. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Fold the flour mixture into the carrot mixture until even. Do not over mix.
4. Spoon into prepared muffin pan and bake for 12 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
5. Cool in pan for 10 minutes before un-molding. Cool completely before frosting.
6. To make frosting, beat the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla extract in a mixer with the paddle attachment on medium speed until light, about 5 minutes. Reduce speed to low and beat in confectioner’s sugar gradually. Once all the sugar is blended in, increase the speed back to medium and beat for 5 minutes.
7. Frost cooled cupcakes.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!

Update on 11/30/10: I made these again to bring to a Thanksgiving dinner and this time I made both regular sized and minis. For regular size, bake for about 15 minutes, then toothpick test.

Big and Small Carrot Spice Cupcakes 2

posted by jessica at 09:55 PM Filed under Desserts, Recipes. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.