Best Carrot And Ginger Cupcakes With Vanilla Butter Cream Icing Recipes

CARROT-GINGER CAT-FACE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• For the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.
• Combine the flour, almonds, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and allspice in a food processor and pulse until the almonds are finely ground.
• Whisk together the grated carrots, granulated sugar, oil, vanilla and eggs in a large bowl until combined. Stir in the flour mixture until just combined.
• Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool for 5 minutes, then remove the cupcakes from the pans to cool completely.
• For the vanilla American buttercream: Combine the butter, confectioners' sugar and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or in a large bowl if using a handheld electric mixer) and beat on low speed until mostly incorporated. Add the vanilla, increase the speed to medium-high and beat until smooth. Adjust the consistency with milk or cream as desired. Use immediately or refrigerate in an airtight container up to 3 days. (If refrigerated, allow to come to room temperature and then beat on medium-high speed until smooth before using.)
• For the chocolate frosting: Sift the confectioners' sugar and cocoa into a large bowl. In another large bowl, combine 1 cup of the sugar mixture with the butter and 1 tablespoon of the milk or cream, beating with an electric mixer until smooth. Add another cup of sugar mixture and another 1 tablespoon milk or cream, beating well. Add the remaining sugar mixture and another 1 tablespoon milk or cream and beat until the frosting is fluffy. Beat in the vanilla. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon milk or cream if needed for desired consistency.
• For the assembly: Use some red food coloring to tint 1/2 cup of the vanilla American buttercream pink. Scoop the pink buttercream into a pastry bag fitted with a no.6 straight tip. Scoop the remaining white buttercream into a pastry bag fitted with a no.4 straight tip. Scoop the chocolate frosting into a pastry bag fitted with a no.15 fluted tip. (You may use resealable plastic bags in place of pastry bags.)
• Using the chocolate frosting, create the fur: Pipe around the edge of each cupcake by pulling a dollop of frosting to a point over the edge of the cupcake (this is the same method used to pipe a shell). Layer the frosting as needed to cover any missing spots. Pipe a second circle of fur slightly overlapping the first, covering almost the entire cupcake.
• Then create the ears: Toward the edge of each cupcake, pipe a triangle shape with the chocolate frosting, layering it so that it is higher than the fur frosting. Fill in the center of the triangle with the pink buttercream. Repeat to make a second ear. Place two candy-coated chocolates in the center of the cupcakes to create eyes. Use the chocolate frosting to fill around the eyes so that they look set into the face.
• Underneath the eyes, create the cheeks: Pipe two circles with the white buttercream. Pipe a smaller circle underneath and between the cheeks for the mouth. Using the pink buttercream and centering between the cheeks and above the mouth, pipe three dots in a triangle shape to make the nose. Using the frosting of your choice, pipe two lines along the center of the face from the nose, between the eyes and between the ears.

CARROT-GINGER CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two standard 12-cup muffin pans with paper liners. Spread pecans in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet; toast until fragrant, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate; let cool completely. Chop pecans finely, and set aside.
• In a medium bowl,whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon; set aside. Using the smallest holes of a box grater, grate carrots. (You will need a total of 2 1/2 cups.) Place grated carrots, eggs, buttermilk, vanilla, sugar, vegetable oil, and ginger in a large bowl; whisk until combined. Using a rubber spatula, fold the flour mixture into the carrot mixture until combined. Fold in the chopped pecans.
• Divide batter evenly among the muffin cups. Bake, rotating pans halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer pans to a wire rack. Invert cupcakes onto the rack; then reinvert and let them cool completely, top sides up. Spread tops with Orange Cream-Cheese Frosting, swirling to coat, and garnish with Mini Marzipan Carrots. Cupcakes can be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• Carrot-Ginger Layer Cake Variation
• Butter two 8-by-2-inch round cake pans; line the bottoms with parchment paper. Butter parchment, and dust with flour, tapping out excess; set aside. Follow instructions for Carrot-Ginger Cupcakes, dividing batter between the prepared pans. Bake until a cake tester inserted in the centers comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Transfer cakes to a wire rack to cool 15 minutes. Run a knife or an offset spatula around the edges. Invert cakes onto the rack; peel off the parchment. Reinvert cakes and let them cool completely, top sides up.
• Using a serrated knife, trim tops of cakes to make level. Slice each cake in half horizontally into two layers. Place one of the bottom layers on a cake plate, and spread 3/4 cup frosting over the top. Repeat with the remaining layers and more frosting. Spread entire cake with remaining frosting and refrigerate until well-chilled, at least 4 hours or up to 4 days, covered with a cake dome. When ready to serve, place Marzipan Carrots on top and around the edge of the cake.
• Orange Cream-Cheese Frosting
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add cream cheese, and beat until combined and fluffy, about 2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the remaining ingredients, and beat 5 minutes. Frosting can be kept at room temperature, covered with plastic wrap, for up to 2 hours.
• Mini Marpizan Carrots
• With a toothpick, add a dab of food coloring to the marzipan and knead with fingers to combine; continue until desired shade is achieved.
• Shape mounded 1/2 teaspoons of marzipan into 24 balls, and place on a clean work surface. Using your hands, roll each piece back and forth to form a 2-inch log. Using your fingers, shape one end of each log into a tapered point to form a carrot shape. (It needn't be perfect; garden carrots have lumps and bumps.) Use the tip of a skewer or toothpick to make a small hole at the top of the carrot. Using a paring knife, make small grooves across the surface of each carrot in a random design. Carrots can be kept at room temperature, in an airtight container, for up to 1 week.
• When ready to serve, roll carrots in cookie crumbs, lightly brushing off excess, and insert carrot greens into the holes.