Carrot Cake Cupcakes

Posted: October 12th, 2010 | Filed under: Cake | Tags: best carrot cake, best carrot cake cupcakes, carrot cake, carrot cake with cream cheese icing, cream cheese icing, fancy pecans, toasted pecans | No Comments »

This has been a crazy week… and its only Tuesday! So, I have a job, I’m a barista at Starbucks. (In case you didn’t know, I was a barista as I finished up college, and while I looked for a post grad job.) I have to say, I really am enjoying it more this time around. I think its because my mindset is different this time, I don’t feel the pressure of what I’m doing for my “real job” after college, I’m not worried about trying to work my way up in an imaginary career when I wasn’t even sure what I wanted to do for life. (Which, I am fully aware has the potential to change as often as seasons change.) But I’ll say this, I’m not terrible at it, I enjoy work, and its not stressful. Which I love. And its teaching me the things I need to learn the food industry better, especially since I’m paying closer attention this time around to the things I need to learn to be successful in the food industry, to the things I’ll need to run a small business one day.

Also in life, we are packing up for a quick trip to California! (I’m super excited, I love California.) But even more exciting — we are going for a wedding– a wedding we’ve been anxiously awaiting — a wedding we can’t wait to be present for. Ryan’s brother Jay and his long time girlfriend Melissa are getting married this Friday. We are so excited for them. It is just crazy that we got married almost three years ago, and one right after the other the brothers have all gotten paired off, entering into marriage with some amazing women. (It makes holiday and family get togethers much louder and way fun.) So as we pack and reflect on family, I’m also thinking of recipes that remind me of home, of family, of comfort in the fall, of tradition and warmth — and so there are carrot cake cupcakes. With flavors and spices that are warm and welcoming, these are the perfect cupcake for the beginning of fall. (I live in Texas, its still not exactly sweater weather all day yet. So yeah, the beginning of fall, not the middle or end quite yet.) Slathered in a smooth cream cheese icing and topped with toasty pecans — its beautifully delicious and moist and the flavors are perfect together in each and every bite.

Other things I like about this recipe is just how easy it is. It doesn’t take long to put everything together, the cake can all be done by hand, and the aromas from each component pour through the kitchen making it all the more inviting.

Alyssa’s Carrot Cake

For the Cake

2 1/3 c self rising flour

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp all spice

1 tbsp orange zest

3 large eggs

2 large egg yolks

2 c light brown sugar

1 c canola oil

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/4 c fresh orange juice

3 c carrot (very finely chopped in a food processor)

Preheat the oven to 350F, place liners in two cupcake/muffin tins. In a large mixing bowl combine the flour, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and orange zest. In another bowl, stir together the whole eggs, egg yolks, and brown sugar. Add the oil, vanilla and orange juice. Make a well in the middle of the flour mixture and stir in the egg mixture a little at a time, until just combined. Stir in the carrots. Scoop the batter into the cupcake liners, and bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the centers are set and a tester in the center comes out clean. Cool to room temperature before icing and topping.

Cream Cheese Icing

1/2 c unsalted butter, cut into pieces, room temperature

Two 8oz packages of cream cheese

4 c confectioners’ sugar

1 tbsp pure vanilla extract

1 tsp salt

In a large mixing bowl beat the butter until soft, add the cream cheese and beat until smooth. Blend in the sugar, vanilla and salt. Spread on top of each cupcake with an icing spatula.

Pecan Topping

2 c pecan pieces

2 tbsp butter

1 tbsp salt

Preheat an oven to 350F. On a large baking sheet spread the pecans and roast until fragrant, about 10 minutes. While the pecans are in the oven place the butter and salt in a medium mixing bowl. When the pecans are ready, take them from the oven and pour them directly into the bowl with the butter and salt. (Thats right, don’t let them cool.) Flip or stir the pecans in the bowl with the butter and salt, letting them melt the butter and allowing the butter and salt to coat every pecan. Let cool to room temperature before topping each cupcake with a few pecan pieces.

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