Carrot Cake Cupcakes

Today I'm going to be showing you how to make these delicious mini carrot cake cupcakes that are perfect as a dessert for Thanksgiving.

Cupcake Ingredients:

4 eggs

1 1/4 cups vegetable oil

2 cups granulated white sugar

2 cups all purpose flour

3 cups finely grated carrots

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients:

2 (8oz) packages of cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup butter, softened

2 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

First, you need 3 cups of finely grated carrots. I washed and peeled them before grating them and used five large carrots total.

Three cups of finely shredded carrots is a lot more than I expected!

Next, preheat your oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, beat together the four eggs, vegetable oil (1 1/4 cups), granulated sugar (2 cups), and vanilla (2 tsp).

In another small bowl mix together the flour (2 cups), baking soda (2 tsp), baking powder (2 tsp), salt (1/2 tsp), cinnamon (2 tsp), nutmeg (1/4 tsp), and allspice (1/4 tsp).

Slowly beat the dry ingredients into the large bowl of wet ingredients until well incorporated. After the wet and dry ingredients are combined mix in the shredded carrots.

Using a small ice cream scoop, fill the paper lined mini cupcake pan with the batter so the cups are a little more than halfway full.

Place them in the oven and bake them for about 9-11 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

When the cupcakes are cooling beat together the softened butter (1/2 cup), cream cheese (16 oz), and vanilla (1 tsp) for 1-2 minutes, or until well blended. Slowly add in the powdered sugar and beat well. Next, fill a piping bag with the cream cheese frosting. I find it easiest to fold the top of the bag over the edges of a cup.

I used a wilton #32 piping tip when I decorated my cupcakes.

I added a small swirl of cream cheese frosting to each cupcake.

For added flavor and crunch I topped them with chopped up pecans. The pecans can be added to the batter before baking but I chose to just add them to the frosting incase anyone has a nut allergy or just doesn't like pecans.

I topped some of my cupcakes with a full pecan, some with the chopped pecans, and left some without. These turned out so good and sometimes a mini cupcake is all you need after a full Thanksgiving dinner.

If you try out this recipe let me know how it goes!

- Jaqui

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