Barefoot Contessas Carrot Cake Cupcakes Recipes

BAREFOOT CONTESSA'S CARROT CAKE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F
• Beat the sugar, oil, and vanilla together in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.
• Add the eggs, 1 at a time.
• In another bowl, sift together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.
• With the mixer on low speed, add 1/2 of the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.
• Add the grated carrots, raisins, and walnuts to the remaining flour, mix well, and add to the batter.
• Mix until just combined.
• Line muffin pans with paper liners.
• Scoop the batter into 22 muffin cups until each is 3/4 full.
• Bake at 400°F for 10 minutes then reduce oven temperature to 350°F and cook for a further 35 minutes (**see note at bottom), until a toothpick comes out clean.
• Cool on a rack.
• Frosting:.
• Cream the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.
• Add the sugar and beat until smooth.
• When the cupcakes are cool, frost them generously and serve.
• **I don't need to cook these for the entire additional 35 minutes. After I lower the temperature to 350°F; I start checking the muffins at around 15 minutes. Just keep watching them until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

CARROT CAKE WITH GINGER MASCARPONE FROSTING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Grease two 9-by-2-inch round cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment paper, and grease and flour the pans.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the sugar, oil, and eggs on medium-high speed for 2 minutes, until light yellow and thickened. Stir in the vanilla. In another bowl, sift together the 2 cups of flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ones.
• In a medium bowl, toss the carrots, raisins, walnuts, and the 1 tablespoon of flour. Stir into the batter with a rubber spatula. Divide the batter between the prepared pans and smooth the tops. Bake for 10 minutes, lower the heat to 350 degrees F, and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 15 minutes, turn out onto a baking rack, and cool completely.
• Place one cake on a flat serving plate, rounded-side down. Spread half the frosting on the top (not the sides). Place the second cake on top of the first cake, rounded-side up. Frost just the top of the second cake. Sprinkle with the ginger and serve at room temperature.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the mascarpone, cream cheese, confectioners¿ sugar, cream, and vanilla together for about 1 minute, until light and fluffy. Add the crystallized ginger and salt and beat for 30 seconds more.

CARROT CAKE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Beat the sugar, oil, and vanilla together in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add the eggs, 1 at a time. In another bowl, sift together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low speed, add 1/2 of the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Add the grated carrots, raisins, and walnuts to the remaining flour, mix well, and add to the batter. Mix until just combined.
• Line muffin pans with paper liners. Scoop the batter into 22 muffin cups until each is 3/4 full. Bake for 10 minutes then reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F and cook for a further 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool on a rack.
• For the frosting, cream the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add the sugar and beat until smooth.
• When the cupcakes are cool, frost them generously and serve.

CARROT AND PINEAPPLE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Butter 2 (8-inch) round cake pans. Line with parchment paper, then butter and flour the pans.
• For the cake: Beat the sugar, oil, and eggs together in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light yellow. Add the vanilla. In another bowl, sift together 2 1/2 cups flour, the cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.
• Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Toss the raisins and walnuts with 1 tablespoon flour. Fold in the carrots and pineapple. Add to the batter and mix well.
• Divide the batter equally between the 2 pans. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool completely in the pans set over a wire rack.
• For the frosting: Mix the cream cheese, butter and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until just combined. Add the sugar and mix until smooth.
• Place 1 layer, flat-side up, on a flat plate or cake pedestal. With a knife or offset spatula, spread the top with frosting. Place the second layer on top, rounded side up, and spread the frosting evenly on the top and sides of the cake. Decorate with diced pineapple.