Carrot And Ginger Cupcakes With Vanilla Butter Cream Icing Food

CARROT GINGER CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spread pecans in a single layer on an ungreased baking pan. Transfer to oven, and roast until toasted and brown, about 8 minutes. Give the pan a shake midway through roasting to make sure they roast evenly. Remove pan from oven, and let stand until completely cool. Finely chop pecans, and set aside. Line muffin tin with cupcake liners. Set aside.
• Using the smallest holes (less than 1/4-inch in diameter) of a box grater, grate carrots to yield 1 3/4 cups. Place grated carrots, eggs, buttermilk, vanilla, sugar, vegetable oil, and ginger in a large bowl; whisk until well combined.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Using a rubber spatula, fold the dry ingredients into the carrot mixture until just combined. Fold in toasted pecans.
• Using a large metal spoon, fill each cupcake to the top of the paper liner. Bake until a cake tester comes out clean, rotating the pan halfway through, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then remove to cooling rack to cool completely. Spread about 1/ 4 cup frosting on each cupcake and serve. Store in an airtight container up to two days.

CARROT GINGER CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheated oven to 350°F.
• In a medium mixing bowl, combine the sifted all-purpose flour, milk powder, baking soda, kosher salt, ground cinnamon and ground nutmeg in a bowl, whisk until even and set aside.
• In another mixing bowl, combine the eggs with the brown sugar as well as granulated sugar and whisk until smooth. Add in the vegetable oil, as well as the milk and continue to whisk until even.
• Incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients one half at a time and mix until even.
• Mix in the grated carrots, chopped walnuts and finely chopped candied ginger.
• Using a 1.5 ounce scoop, portion the batter evenly into a 12 piece muffin tin that has been greased or lined with paper liners. Bake for 25-28 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before frosting.
• To prepare the frosting, using the paddle attachment of a stand mixer, cream the room temperature butter for 1 minute until fluffy, then add in the cream cheese, vanilla extract as well as salt and mix for another minute until incorporated, scraping down the sides as necessary.
• Add in the icing sugar, 1 cup at a time, begin with the mixer speed on low until all the sugars have been incorporated and then turn to high, mix for 2 minutes until light and fluffy, once again scraping down the bowl as necessary.
• Frost each cupcake as desired and top with an additional sprinkle of the candied ginger. The cupcakes are good to be kept at room temperature for 1 day or refrigerated in an airtight container for 3 days.

CARROT-GINGER CAT-FACE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• For the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.
• Combine the flour, almonds, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and allspice in a food processor and pulse until the almonds are finely ground.
• Whisk together the grated carrots, granulated sugar, oil, vanilla and eggs in a large bowl until combined. Stir in the flour mixture until just combined.
• Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool for 5 minutes, then remove the cupcakes from the pans to cool completely.
• For the vanilla American buttercream: Combine the butter, confectioners' sugar and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or in a large bowl if using a handheld electric mixer) and beat on low speed until mostly incorporated. Add the vanilla, increase the speed to medium-high and beat until smooth. Adjust the consistency with milk or cream as desired. Use immediately or refrigerate in an airtight container up to 3 days. (If refrigerated, allow to come to room temperature and then beat on medium-high speed until smooth before using.)
• For the chocolate frosting: Sift the confectioners' sugar and cocoa into a large bowl. In another large bowl, combine 1 cup of the sugar mixture with the butter and 1 tablespoon of the milk or cream, beating with an electric mixer until smooth. Add another cup of sugar mixture and another 1 tablespoon milk or cream, beating well. Add the remaining sugar mixture and another 1 tablespoon milk or cream and beat until the frosting is fluffy. Beat in the vanilla. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon milk or cream if needed for desired consistency.
• For the assembly: Use some red food coloring to tint 1/2 cup of the vanilla American buttercream pink. Scoop the pink buttercream into a pastry bag fitted with a no.6 straight tip. Scoop the remaining white buttercream into a pastry bag fitted with a no.4 straight tip. Scoop the chocolate frosting into a pastry bag fitted with a no.15 fluted tip. (You may use resealable plastic bags in place of pastry bags.)
• Using the chocolate frosting, create the fur: Pipe around the edge of each cupcake by pulling a dollop of frosting to a point over the edge of the cupcake (this is the same method used to pipe a shell). Layer the frosting as needed to cover any missing spots. Pipe a second circle of fur slightly overlapping the first, covering almost the entire cupcake.
• Then create the ears: Toward the edge of each cupcake, pipe a triangle shape with the chocolate frosting, layering it so that it is higher than the fur frosting. Fill in the center of the triangle with the pink buttercream. Repeat to make a second ear. Place two candy-coated chocolates in the center of the cupcakes to create eyes. Use the chocolate frosting to fill around the eyes so that they look set into the face.
• Underneath the eyes, create the cheeks: Pipe two circles with the white buttercream. Pipe a smaller circle underneath and between the cheeks for the mouth. Using the pink buttercream and centering between the cheeks and above the mouth, pipe three dots in a triangle shape to make the nose. Using the frosting of your choice, pipe two lines along the center of the face from the nose, between the eyes and between the ears.

CARROT CAKE WITH GINGER CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Steps:

• Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Coat two 9-inch-round cake pans with cooking spray; line the bottoms with parchment paper. Spread the walnuts on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until lightly toasted, about 5 minutes. Let cool, then finely chop.
• Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, ground ginger, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg and salt onto a large piece of parchment (or into a medium bowl). Beat the granulated sugar, brown sugar and vegetable oil in a large bowl with a mixer on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Increase the speed to medium high and add the eggs, one at a time; beat until light and smooth, about 2 minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to low; add the applesauce, orange zest and vanilla and beat until just smooth. Gradually add the flour mixture and beat until just combined. Add the carrots and 3/4 cup walnuts and beat until just combined.
• Divide the batter between the prepared pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool 10 minutes in the pans, then remove to the rack to cool completely; remove the parchment. (The cake layers can be made a day ahead; let cool completely, then wrap in plastic wrap.)
• Make the frosting: Peel the ginger and grate onto a piece of cheesecloth. Wrap in the cheesecloth and squeeze the juice into a small bowl (you should get about 1 tablespoon). Add the orange juice and vanilla to the bowl. Beat the cream cheese and butter in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Beat in the juice mixture. Reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually beat in the confectioners' sugar. Increase the mixer speed to high and beat until smooth, about 2 more minutes.
• Place 1 cake layer on a platter, rounded-side down. Spread with 1 cup frosting, then top with the second cake layer, rounded-side down. Cover the top and sides with the remaining frosting. Press the remaining walnuts into the sides of the cake. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.

GINGERBREAD CUPCAKES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg. Beat in water and molasses. Combine the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, nutmeg and allspice; add to the creamed mixture. Beat on low speed until combined. Beat on medium for 2 minutes., Fill paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely., For frosting, in a small bowl, cream the butter, cream cheese, brown sugar and salt until light and fluffy. Beat in maple syrup and vanilla. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until smooth. Frost cupcakes. Store in the refrigerator.

CARROT CUPCAKES WITH WHITE CHOCOLATE CREAM CHEESE ICING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease 12 muffin cups.
• In small saucepan, melt white chocolate over low heat. Stir until smooth, and allow to cool to room temperature.
• In a bowl, beat together the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Mix in white chocolate, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and orange extract. Gradually beat in the confectioners' sugar until the mixture is fluffy. Mix in heavy cream.
• Beat together the eggs, white sugar, and brown sugar in a bowl, and mix in the oil and vanilla. Fold in carrots and pineapple. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Mix flour mixture into the carrot mixture until evenly moist. Fold in 1/2 cup walnuts. Transfer to the prepared muffin cups.
• Bake 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Cool completely on wire racks before topping with the icing and sprinkling with remaining walnuts.

CARROT CUPCAKES WITH GINGER-CREAM CHEESE ICING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line twelve 1/3-cup muffin cups with paper liners. Sift first 5 ingredients into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat sugar, oil and eggs in large bowl until well blended. Add dry ingredients to egg mixture in 2 additions, beating until well blended after each addition. Mix in carrots and pineapple. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filling each 3/4 full.
• Bake cupcakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Turn cupcakes out onto racks and cool completely. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; store at room temperature.)
• Spread top of each cupcake with scant 3 tablespoons Ginger-Cream Cheese Icing. Garnish with candied violets, if desired.

CARROT CUPCAKES WITH CREAM CHEESE ICING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Oil a standard 12-cup muffin tin or line with paper liners. In a bowl, combine sugar, vegetable oil, orange juice, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, and eggs.
• Stir in baking powder, baking soda, allspice, and salt. Add flour; mix. Stir in carrots, walnuts, and coconut.
• Divide batter evenly among muffin cups. Bake until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean, 25 minutes. Let cool completely before frosting.
• For the icing: In a mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract. Whisk until smooth.
• Frost cupcakes, and garnish with shredded coconut.