This past weekend was the first weekend in months I didn’t have a single obligation or had anything planned.
It. Was. Awesome.
I went running both days, ran errands at a leisurely pace, got caught up on thank you’s, went on an impromptu double dinner date with friends, and baked. Oh, how nice it was to bake. I’ve been wanting to for quite some time, but with the wedding I haven’t been able to. We have a busy November coming up, so I won’t be able to again for awhile, but it was nice to get it out of my system for now.
Carrot Cake Cupcakes
Original recipe from Tasty Kitchen
Makes one dozen
Ingredients
1 ½ cups all–purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
¾ tsp salt
½ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, melted
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 large egg
½ tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp lowfat plan yogurt
1 ½ cup grated carrots (about 3 medium carrots—I chopped mine after grating them up)
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a 12-cup standard muffin tin with paper liners.
2. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg in a medium bowl. Whisk and set aside.
3. Using either a electric mixer or hand whisk with another large bowl: combine melted butter, brown sugar, egg, yogurt, and vanilla. Stir in carrots.
4. Gradually add dry ingredients to the butter mixture until well combined.
5. Fill each muffin cup about 3/4 full. Bake for 18 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in the pan before removing to completely cool.
Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
8 ounces cream cheese or Neufchatel
¼ cups (½ stick) unsalted butter, room temp
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract (the original recipe only calls for 1 ½, but I always put extra)
¾ tsp ground cinnamon (the original recipe only calls for ¼ to ½ tsp, but I felt like the cinnamon flavoring wasn’t strong enough)
Directions
1. Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese, butter and confectioners’s sugar until smooth.
2. Add in vanilla and cinnamon until blended.
3. Frost cooled cupcakes as desired.
—m.
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