Carrot Cake Cupcakes

Happy Wednesday! I'm leaving tonight for San Diego to visit my sister and I am so excited to see her! Her 24th birthday is tomorrow and it'll be great to celebrate with her and get some warm weather. I'll be back on Monday, but I have a few posts queued up in my absence. :)

This past weekend I baked carrot cake cupcakes for the first time to get in the spirit of Easter! They were very moist, flavorful and delicious and I will definitely make them again. Try them out and let me know what you think!

Carrot Cake Cupcakes
recipe adapted from Martha Stewart
makes 12 cupcakes

for the cupcakes...

• 1/2 pound carrots, finely grated
• 1 large egg,  room temperature
• 1/6 cup buttermilk
• 1 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 3/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup golden raisins
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1. Preheat oven to 350F and line a muffin tin with paper liners.
2. In the bowl of your stand mixer with the whisk attachment on low, mix carrots, egg, buttermilk, sugar, oil, vanilla extract and raisins.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger and cloves.
4. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the bowl of your standing mixer, mixing until just incorporated.
5. Fill each cup almost to the top.
6. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
7. Cool on wire racks.

for the cream cheese frosting...

• 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 8oz package of cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3-4 cups confectioner's sugar

1. In the bowl of your stand mixer, beat the butter and cream cheese together on high until light and fluffy.
2. Add the vanilla extract.
3. Slowly add the confectioner's sugar, one cup at a time, until frosting is thick enough to frost cupcakes with. Don't add too much sugar or the frosting will be too sweet!
4. Fill up a piping bag and frost the cupcakes. Add some cinnamon and carrot shreds as garnish if you'd like!