Carrot Cake Cupcakes

The first time I ever made a carrot cake was in culinary school, and I remember it being epic, baked in a tall, 10" cake pan. It was designed for restaurant service, of course, so turning the batter into cupcakes makes for a much more manageable recipe, perfect for baking at home. The cake itself is moist and delicious, loaded with yummy ingredients yet not at all dense, rounded out by a fluffy cream cheese frosting, fragranced by a hint of orange liqueur, brightening the overall dessert. The toasted pecans add a warm earthiness, a perfect balance for all that sweetness. Feel free to swap freshly squeezed orange juice for the liqueur in the frosting.

Cupcake Ingredients

• 1-¼ C. Vegetable Oil
• 1 C. Light Brown Sugar tightly packed
• 1 C. White Granulated Sugar
• 4 Large Eggs at room temperature
• 1 C. All Purpose Flour using the 'spoon and sweep' method
• 1 C. Whole Wheat Flour using the 'spoon and sweep' method
• 1 tsp. Salt
• 2 tsp. Baking Powder
• 2 tsp. Baking Soda
• 1 tsp. Cinnamon
• 3 C. Grated Carrots (3-4 large carrots, peeled)
• 8 oz. Crushed Pineapple drained
• ½ C. Pecans, Finely Chopped toasted (feel free to use Walnuts, instead)

Frosting Ingredients

• 8 oz. Cream Cheese
• 2 Sticks Unsalted Butter at room temperature
• 6 C. 10x Powdered Sugar
• Pinch Kosher Salt
• ¼ C. Heavy Cream
• 1 Tbsp. Vanilla Extract
• 2 Tbsp. Orange Liqueur such as Grand Marnier or Triple Sec, or freshly squeezed orange juice
• 1-½ C. Pecans, Finely Chopped toasted (feel free to use Walnuts, instead)

Instructions

Step 1: Gather all of the ingredients to prepare the cake batter. Be sure to thoroughly drain your crushed pineapple and gently toast your pecans in a skillet over low-medium heat.

The 'spoon and sweep' method is the most accurate way to measure flour, aside from weighing it on a kitchen scale. Use your spoon to gently stir and fluff the flour in its container, then scoop the flour directly into the measuring cup, using the straight edge of the spoon to sweep away the excess flour once the cup is full.

Preheat oven to 350℉ and line 2 (or 3, if you have a third) cupcake pans with paper liners.

Note: You'll need toasted pecans for the cake batter as well as for decorating the frosting, so feel free to toast both cups, then portion out the ½ cup you'll need for the batter. Set aside the remaining 1-/2 cups for later.

Step 2: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together the oil and both sugars until cohesive. Crack and add eggs, one at a time, until fully incorporated.

Step 3: Using a fine mesh strainer over a large mixing bowl, sift together both flours, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon.

Step 4: Add flour mixture into the stand mixer and incorporate, making sure that there are no streaks of flour visible throughout the batter.

Step 5: Remove the bowl from the stand, and mix the shredded carrots, crushed pineapple and toasted pecans into the batter by hand.

Step 6: Fill each cupcake cavity at least half but no more than ⅔ of the way full of batter. This will ensure that each cupcake bakes with a perfect, slight dome and doesn't sink in the middle.

Step 7: Bake cupcakes in the preheated oven for approximately 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Bake the third pan of cupcakes. Allow cupcakes to cool completely while you prepare the icing.

Prepare the Frosting

Step 1: Clean out the bowl of your stand mixer and gather together all of the frosting ingredients.

Step 2: Cream together the softened cream cheese and butter, along with a pinch of kosher salt, until thoroughly mixed and smooth.

Step 3: With the mixer off, slowly begin to add the powdered sugar. Pulse to ensure that the powdered sugar mixes in and doesn't fly out of the bowl. Drizzle in the heavy cream and add the vanilla extract, mixing on medium low. Mix until the liquid has incorporated, but the mixture still feels stiff.

Step 4: Add in a few tablespoons of orange liqueur, keeping the speed on medium, and then increase the speed to full whip and incorporate air into the buttercream. Run the mixer for a minimum of five minutes.

Note: Feel free to replace the orange liqueur with freshly squeezed orange juice!

Step 5: When the cupcakes are cool enough to frost, place a large pastry tip into the point of a pastry bag. Snip the tip of the bag just enough that the pastry tip extends past the base of the bag but the rest remains securely in the bag. Fill the bag with whipped frosting, leaving enough room at the top of the bag so that you can twist the top and have plenty of room to hold.

Step 6: Pipe a desired amount of frosting over the top of each cupcake in a swirl pattern, starting by drawing a ring around the outer rim of the cupcake, working inwards towards the center.

With a bowl of toasted pecans available, gently begin pressing the nuts into the buttercream around the edges of the frosted cupcake, leaving the center clear. Repeat with all remaining cupcakes.

Store cupcakes either at room temperature or in the refrigerator, bringing back to room temperature before serving.

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