Carrot Cake Minis Food

MINI CARROT CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Make the topping: Peel long ribbons from the carrot using a vegetable peeler, then slice the ribbons lengthwise into 1/4-inch-wide strands (you'll need about 48).
• Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F. Bring the granulated sugar and 3/4 cup water to a simmer in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the carrot strands and simmer until soft, about 10 minutes. Drain and cool slightly. Arrange the strands in squiggles on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bake until dry, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool completely.
• Make the cupcakes: Raise the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Line two 24-cup mini-muffin pans with paper liners. Put the flour, almonds, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and allspice in a food processor and pulse until the nuts are finely ground.
• Whisk the grated carrots, vegetable oil, granulated sugar, eggs and vanilla in a large bowl until combined. Stir in the flour mixture until just combined. Divide among the mini-muffin cups, filling each three-quarters of the way. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool 5 minutes, then remove the cupcakes from the pans to cool completely.
• Meanwhile, make the frosting: Beat the confectioners' sugar, cream cheese and butter with a mixer until fluffy. Beat in the lemon juice and almond extract. Pipe or spread on the cupcakes. Top with the candied carrots.

CARROT CAKE MINIS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Prepare cake batter as directed on package. Blend in dry pudding mix. Spoon into 48 paper-lined mini muffin cups.
• Bake 12 to 15 min. or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool cupcakes in pans 10 min. Remove to wire racks; cool completely. Meanwhile, press candies until softened; roll up each to resemble carrot.
• Spoon frosting into medium bowl. Add COOL WHIP; whisk until blended. Remove cupcakes from liners; cut horizontally in half. Fill each with about 1 Tbsp. COOL WHIP mixture. Top with remaining COOL WHIP mixture, nuts and carrot candies.

MINI CARROT CAKE LOAVES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 6-cavity mini loaf tray.
• Mix carrots, flour, sugar, walnuts, oil, eggs, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl until combined. Pour batter into the prepared tray, filling each loaf cavity 3/4 full.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool in the pan for 5 to 10 minutes, then transfer loaves to a wire rack to finish cooling.

BIRD BAKERY AWARD-WINNING CARROT CAKE MINI CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line mini cupcake pans with cupcake liners.
• In a small bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Set aside. In a large bowl, beat together the eggs while adding the oil, buttermilk, sugar and vanilla one at a time. Mix until well incorporated. Slowly add the flour mixture into the large bowl to combine. Stir in the pineapple, carrots, coconut, raisins and walnuts.
• Scoop the batter into the prepared cupcake pans, filling each cup about three-quarters of the way full. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, rotating the pans after 6 or 7 minutes (see Cook's Note). Let the cupcakes cool completely before frosting with the Cream Cheese Frosting. Garnish with additional chopped walnuts.
• Cream Cheese Frosting:
• In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, cream cheese and confectioners' sugar. Then slowly add in the milk, vanilla and orange zest and juice and mix until combined.

MINI CARROT CAKES WITH CREAM CHEESE GLAZE

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray twelve 4-ounce mini loaf pans or a 12-cup regular muffin pan with pan release spray.
• Spread the pecans out on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until toasted, 10 to 12 minutes. Allow to cool and then pulse in a food processor until very finely chopped but not ground.
• Combine the chopped pecans, flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Whisk together the brown sugar, yogurt, oil, vanilla extract, lemon zest and eggs in another bowl. Stir the carrots into the egg mixture. Fold the carrot-egg mixture into the flour mixture until just combined. Divide evenly among the prepared pans. (Don't be alarmed if the batter seems skimpy; the cakes will rise once baked.)
• Bake until the center of the cakes bounce back when pressed and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean, 20 to 22 minutes. Let the cakes cool in the pans for a few minutes, and then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
• For the glaze: Mix together the confectioners' sugar, cream cheese, lemon juice, vanilla extract and salt in a medium bowl. Spoon about 1 teaspoon of the glaze onto each cake and use the back of the spoon to spread. Garnish as desired.