Carrot Cake?… Carrot Cupcakes? However you slice it, what a way to get your veggies!
This recipe I’ve had for twenty plus years, and have no idea where it came from, but if I had to guess I would say the Chicago Tribune Food Guide.
It is written for a bundt pan, but I’ve always made it as a 3 layer cake using 8-inch round pans. Several years ago I made cupcakes from the same recipe and sold them at Dean and DeLucas bakery in Georgetown along with my coconut cupcakes (made from my recipe for coconut layer cake.
I’ve found the only adjustment necessary to convert this recipe from a cake to cupcakes is to lessen the baking time, and to raise the oven temperature 25 degrees.
Carrot Cupcakes With Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe may be doubled)
1 and ½ cup canola oil
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 eggs
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
2 cups grated carrots
1 8oz. can crushed pineapple (packed in water and drained)
1 (3 and ½ oz.) can shredded coconut
1 cup chopped walnuts
Directions:
Beat eggs til light. Slowly pour in oil while beating. Add sugar and vanilla and beat well.
Combine flour, cinnamon, soda, salt, and nutmeg.
Gradually add to egg-sugar mixture til well mixed.
If grating carrots in a food processor, shred them first with a shredding disc.
Then use the metal blade to grate them.
Stir in the carrots, pineapple, coconut, and chopped walnuts.
Pour batter into cupcake papers placed in cupcake tins, filling ¾ full.
Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for 25-32 minutes, depending on cupcake size. I baked these in the extra large cupcake tins and they took about 32 minutes. Using baking time as a guide it is always best to test doneness by using a cake tester in the center of the cupcake. Additionally you can press the top gently and if it springs back it is done.
Allow cupcakes to cool slightly, 5-10 minutes, then remove to cooling rack to cool completely.
Frost with cream cheese frosting.
Cream Cheese Frosting
4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1 and ½ cups confectioners sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
juice of ¼ lemon
Cream together the cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer. Sift the powdered sugar in slowly and continue to beat until there are no lumps. Stir in the vanilla extract and lemon juice. Beat til smooth.
The frosting may easily be doubled, tripled, or quadrupled depending on the amount needed. Leftover frosting will freeze well for a future use.
Note: If making the bundt cake, pour the batter into a greased bundt pan, place on a cookie sheet, and bake in a 350 degree oven for 1 hour or til cake tests done. Allow it to cool slightly, then remove from pan and cool thoroughly.
If using greased 8 inch layer pans bake at 350 degrees for approximately 40-45 minutes or til cake tests done. Allow to cool slightly, then remove from pan and cool thoroughly.