Carrot And Ginger Cupcakes With Vanilla Butter Cream Icing Recipes

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spread pecans in a single layer on an ungreased baking pan. Transfer to oven, and roast until toasted and brown, about 8 minutes. Give the pan a shake midway through roasting to make sure they roast evenly. Remove pan from oven, and let stand until completely cool. Finely chop pecans, and set aside. Line muffin tin with cupcake liners. Set aside.
• Using the smallest holes (less than 1/4-inch in diameter) of a box grater, grate carrots to yield 1 3/4 cups. Place grated carrots, eggs, buttermilk, vanilla, sugar, vegetable oil, and ginger in a large bowl; whisk until well combined.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Using a rubber spatula, fold the dry ingredients into the carrot mixture until just combined. Fold in toasted pecans.
• Using a large metal spoon, fill each cupcake to the top of the paper liner. Bake until a cake tester comes out clean, rotating the pan halfway through, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then remove to cooling rack to cool completely. Spread about 1/ 4 cup frosting on each cupcake and serve. Store in an airtight container up to two days.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line 2 standard muffin tins with paper liners. In a bowl, whisk together carrots, eggs, sugar, oil, buttermilk, vanilla seeds, and raisins and nuts if desired. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. Stir flour mixture into carrot mixture until well combined.
• Divide batter among muffin cups, filling each 3/4 full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until testers inserted into centers come out clean, 23 to 28 minutes. Let cool in tins on wire racks, 10 minutes. Turn out cupcakes onto wire racks, and let cool completely. Unfrosted cupcakes can be stored overnight at room temperature, or frozen for up to 2 months in airtight containers.
• Frost cupcakes with cream cheese frosting. Frosted cupcakes can be refrigerated for up to 3 days; bring to room temperature, and sprinkle with toasted coconut (press gently to adhere) before serving.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line twelve 1/3-cup muffin cups with paper liners. Sift first 5 ingredients into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat sugar, oil and eggs in large bowl until well blended. Add dry ingredients to egg mixture in 2 additions, beating until well blended after each addition. Mix in carrots and pineapple. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filling each 3/4 full.
• Bake cupcakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Turn cupcakes out onto racks and cool completely. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; store at room temperature.)
• Spread top of each cupcake with scant 3 tablespoons Ginger-Cream Cheese Icing. Garnish with candied violets, if desired.