Carrot Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
This is my cupcake interpretation of Alton Brown’s carrot cake. It is the best carrot cake I have ever had. I loved making the carrot cake as cupcakes, it makes portion control a little easier, especially with cake this delicious. This is one of the cupcakes that I made for the Orlando Food Bloggers’ Share our Strength Great American Bake Sale. This was my favorite of the cupcakes that I made. It is packed full of carrots. This recipe also calls for yogurt which produces a very, very moist cake. I made an easy cream cheese frosting for them.
We took a couple of these cupcakes, along with some popcorn to our first movie away from home. There is a local company that puts on a family movie in a local park once a month. It’s really nice, the screen is 40 feet tall and in high definition, and its free! We took our snacks and a big old comforter to lay on, and went out for the evening. I knew my son would be happy to run around a little. When we got there all the kids were running and having a great time, and Julien started running after the big kids. The movie was Night at the Museum, lots of fun for the kids. Most of the kids sat and watched the movie, even the little ones. However, my son was only interested in the the other kids, the dogs that came with their owners, and anyone else that happened to glance his way. I think I have the most extroverted toddler in town. My husband went off chasing him, while I stayed with our things. A long time had passed and I was drifting off to dreamland in a sea of strangers on my old flowered blanket. I felt a little uncomfortable because I was so comfortable, and went off to find my boys. Where did I find my son? He was being extremely friendly to another tot who was extremely introverted, but who happened to have a race car ride on toy that he was very interested in.
Then the same old conversation started, the mother of the introverted tot said,
“He’s so social and friendly, is he in daycare?”
“No,” I said.
Then the mom says, “Wow, I need to socialize my son more.”
Then I say, “No, I don’t do much of anything, he’s just like that.”
I think to myself, am I doing something wrong, not getting him out enough, is that why he goes crazy for attention, or is that just his personality? Or maybe I do take him out too much, and how much is too much? I know the other mom was thinking the exact same thing in reverse.
I hope that I can learn from his extroverted ways a little and hopefully he will start mimicing our laid back behavior more. I seem to remember getting in trouble for talking too much to strangers and other kids, but some where along the way I changed. I wonder if he will change or not.
Was your kid an extrovert or introvert as a toddler? Did they change as they grew older?
Yield: Serves 4
Carrot Cupcakes Recipe
4.50 stars (2 reviews)
Loading...Ingredients:
For the cupcakes:
12 ounces, approximately 2 1/2 cups, all-purpose flour, plus extra for pan
12 ounces grated carrots, medium grate, approximately 6 medium
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
10 ounces sugar, approximately 1 1/3 cups
2 ounces dark brown sugar, approximately 1/4 cup firmly packed
3 large eggs
6 ounces plain yogurt
6 ounces vegetable oil
For the frosting:
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
2 ounces unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups powdered sugar
Directions:
For the cupcakes:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grate carrots. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt together well. Toss carrots and flour mixture together. Set aside.
Combine sugar and oil in your stand mixer. Mix until combined. Add eggs, one at a time until combined. Add yogurt. Mix well. Add carrot and flour mixture. Mix until just combined. Do not over-mix.
Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Then drop oven temperature to 325 degrees for another 20-25 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center of the cupcake.
For the frosting:
Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Make sure cream cheese is at room temperature, or frosting will be lumpy.
Mix with a hand mixer on low until combined, then on high about 2 minutes until smooth and creamy.
