Monday, March 21, 2011

Mini Carrot Cakes: Tiny Treats, Big Taste






















Win the cookbook this recipe came from! There's still time to enter my giveaway. Contest closes March 23.

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In addition to being a fan of food, I also like to run. The two, actually, are related. Because the more I run, the more I can eat.

I'm starting to train for a race in May, and as part of that, I'm thinking more carefully about what I'm eating and I'm trying to sneak more veggies in wherever I can.

Which was all the justification I needed to bake carrot cake this weekend. This recipe comes from Blue Ribbon Desserts (from Cook's Country and America's Test Kitchen) and through March 23, you can win a copy of it through my giveaway.

Making carrot cake also makes me thankful for my food processor -- it's the way to go when it comes to shredding. And while the original recipe makes 12 full-size cupcakes, I've found that's about the right amount of batter to make 36 minis. They're the perfect size for popping in your mouth. On the run or otherwise. And they're easy to make. Really.




Mini Carrot Cupcakes
  • 8 T. butter, melted and cooled
  • 3/4 c. granulated sugar
  • 1/4 c. brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 1/4 c. flour
  • 3/4 t. baking powder
  • 1/2 t. baking soda
  • 1/2 t. salt
  • 1/2 t. ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 t. ground nutmeg
  • Pinch ground cloves
  • 8 oz. grated carrots
  • Your favorite cream cheese frosting
    (mix a little cream cheese, butter, powered sugar, and vanilla -- what could go wrong?)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease 3 12-cup mini muffin pans.

Whisk together the melted butter, sugars and eggs. Mix in the dry ingredients until combined. Fill the muffin pans and bake 12-15 minutes (or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean). Cool on a rack, then frost.

7 comments:

Annie said...

I do not like carrots - or any other vegetable really- but I do love carrot cake. Do you usually put cloves in carrot cake?

I like the shreds of carrot on top of the cakes. It gives them extra pizazz. You should look into making flowers out of carrot peelings for next time. I bet Sandy could help. She's an expert.

Abbie said...

Annie, I don't know if cloves are the usual or not. I'm not a prolific carrot cake baker. But cloves are often paired with pumpkin and apples. Carrots have that same sweetness -- maybe that's why it works?

I'll get in touch with Sandy for a carrot flower tutorial.

pietra said...

L.O.V.E. carrot cake!

Anonymous said...

I love the carrot shreds on top too...it's so flipping pretty!

Melissa @IWasBornToCook said...

These look adorable. LOVE carrot cake!

We Are Not Martha said...

These are SO adorable! I love carrot cake, but have a hard time finding the perfect recipe. This looks delicious :)

Sues

Shannon Riley said...

This is a great idea! I LOVE carrot cake, but I never thought to make them in cupcake form. Great job! :D