Winter carrot cupcakes
- Preparation and cooking time
- Total time
- Easy
- Makes Pieces
Ingredients
- The cupcakes
- 1.25 cups light brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1.25 cups ground nut oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp Sicilian orange extract
- 1.25 cups oat and linseed flour
- 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp mace
- 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/8 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 150 g grated carrots
- 1 tsp orange zest
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 4 tbsp milk
- 1 tbsp redcurrant jelly
- The frosting
- 1.5 cups icing sugar
- 2 tbsp butter
- 3 tbsp light cream cheese
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
Method
- STEP 1Heat the oven to 170 oC.
- STEP 2Place the sugar, eggs, oil, vanilla and orange extracts into a large mixing bowl. Beat with a wooden spoon until smooth. Slowly sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder, all the spices and the salt into the mixture. Mix until you reach a silky texture.
- STEP 3Carefully stir in the grated carrots, orange and lemon zests, milk and redcurrant jelly until all the ingredients are fully mixed in.
- STEP 4Gently spoon the mixture into mini cupcake moulds, and place in the oven to bake for 12-15 minutes until gold and spongy.
- STEP 5Remove for the oven and let cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn the cupcakes out onto a wire rack and cool completely.
- STEP 6For the frosting
- STEP 7Beat the butter and cream cheese in a bowl until well incorporated. Slowly sift in the icing sugar. Beat thoroughly until you reach a firm consistency - the frosting should be light and fluffy. Cover and chill in the fridge until required.
- STEP 8Gently spoon a thin layer of frosting onto the cupcake, smoothing with the back of a spoon. Decorate to your liking.
- STEP 9Top tip: Squeeze any excess liquid out of the grated carrots, or your cupcake mixture will be too runny!
