Carrot Cupcakes
Makes 12
Ingredients
250g plain flour
2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
2 tsp mixed spice (we used cinnamon, nutmeg and cardamom)
300ml Azalea Grapeseed Oil
200g caster sugar
200g brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
4 eggs
300g grated carrot (about 3 medium carrots)
100g pecans, roughly chopped, plus extra to decorate
Pinch sea salt
CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
250g cream cheese, cooled
250g butter, softened to room temperature
350g icing sugar mixture
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
75g milk powder (skim or full fat)
METHOD
1.
Preheat a fan forced oven to 160ºC. Line 12 holes of a standard muffin tin with cupcake cases.
2.
In a large bowl combine flour, bicarb and spices. Season with a pinch of salt.
3.
In the bowl of a stand mixer combine oil, both sugars and vanilla. Whisk on high 3-4 mins until pale, then add eggs, one at a time, whipping until fluffy. Add flour mixture and fold through then stir in carrot and pecans.
4.
Use an ice cream scoop to neatly divide batter between the cases. Bake 25-30 mins until the cupcakes are cooked through and spring back when gently pressed in the centre.
5.
To make icing, clean the bowl of your stand mixer, fit a whisk attachment and add cream cheese. Whisk 2-3 mins until smooth then scrape down the edges with a spatula and add the softened butter and beat on high until incorporated. Add icing sugar, milk powder and vanilla, beat on low until incorporated then increase speed to high and beat until fluffy and white in colour.
6.
Transfer cupcakes to a cooling rack and allow to cool completely before icing and sprinkling with extra pecans.