Carrot Cake Cupcake Recipe

"The best carrot cake cupcake recipe ever!! (And a cream cheese frosting.)"

Toasted walnuts add a certain bittersweet and earthy taste to the cupcakes. Cinnamon and a good dose of cardamom give it a faraway newness, which is only made more intriguing with the floral and citrusy finish from the orange zest. Dolloped with some cream cheese frosting, it's a carrot cake cupcake that emulates old times from way back when with a bit of a contemporary twist.

Carrot Cake Cupcake Recipe

Yield : Serves 24

Carrot Cake Cupcake Ingredients :

• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup of chopped walnuts
• 1 pound of carrots (about 3 1/2 cups, grated)
• 1/2 cup of buttermilk (OR add a teaspoon of lemon juice to regular milk and allow to stand for 10 minutes)
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons of ground cardamom
• 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon of orange zest
• 3 cups of all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon of baking soda
• 2 teaspoons of baking powder
• 1 cup of vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 2 cups of sugar

Cream Cheese Frosting :

• 16 oz of Philadelphia cream cheese
• 1 cup of unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups of powdered sugar

Directions :

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Toast the walnuts in the oven for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

2. Rinse the carrots and peel the rough skins off, then grate the carrots.

3. Place the carrots, buttermilk, oil, sugar, eggs, vanilla extract and orange zest together in a bowl and whisk thoroughly.

4. In another bowl whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cardamom, and cinnamon.

5. Fold the flour mixture into the carrot mixture, being sure not to overmix. Fold in the toasted walnuts until evenly incorporated.

6. Scoop into cupcake papers about 1/2 to 3/4 full and bake for 19-21 minutes at 350°F, being sure to rotate the pan after the first 15 minutes of baking. Afterwards allow to cool for 5 minutes before taking the cupcakes out of the cupcake tin and allowing them to fully cool on a wire rack. Frost cooled cupcakes.

Beat the cream cheese and butter on medium speed until well combined. Sift in the powdered sugar and mix. Spread onto cooled cupcakes.

Thanks to www.simplyrecipes.com for Carrot Cake Cupcake Recipe !!