Carrot Ginger Cupcakes With Spiced Cream Cheese Frosting Recipes

CARROT CUPCAKES WITH GINGER-CREAM CHEESE ICING

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.

CARROT CAKE WITH GINGER CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Steps:

• Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Coat two 9-inch-round cake pans with cooking spray; line the bottoms with parchment paper. Spread the walnuts on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until lightly toasted, about 5 minutes. Let cool, then finely chop.
• Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, ground ginger, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg and salt onto a large piece of parchment (or into a medium bowl). Beat the granulated sugar, brown sugar and vegetable oil in a large bowl with a mixer on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Increase the speed to medium high and add the eggs, one at a time; beat until light and smooth, about 2 minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to low; add the applesauce, orange zest and vanilla and beat until just smooth. Gradually add the flour mixture and beat until just combined. Add the carrots and 3/4 cup walnuts and beat until just combined.
• Divide the batter between the prepared pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool 10 minutes in the pans, then remove to the rack to cool completely; remove the parchment. (The cake layers can be made a day ahead; let cool completely, then wrap in plastic wrap.)
• Make the frosting: Peel the ginger and grate onto a piece of cheesecloth. Wrap in the cheesecloth and squeeze the juice into a small bowl (you should get about 1 tablespoon). Add the orange juice and vanilla to the bowl. Beat the cream cheese and butter in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Beat in the juice mixture. Reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually beat in the confectioners' sugar. Increase the mixer speed to high and beat until smooth, about 2 more minutes.
• Place 1 cake layer on a platter, rounded-side down. Spread with 1 cup frosting, then top with the second cake layer, rounded-side down. Cover the top and sides with the remaining frosting. Press the remaining walnuts into the sides of the cake. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.

CARROT GINGER CUPCAKES

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.

SPICED CARROT CUPCAKES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the first eight ingredients. In another bowl, beat the eggs, oil and vanilla. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in the carrots, pineapple and walnuts. , Fill paper-lined muffin cups three-fourths full. Bake at 350° for 25-28 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack., For frosting, in a small bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Beat in the chocolate, cream and extracts. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until smooth. Pipe or spread over cupcakes, garnish with walnuts is desired. Store in the refrigerator.

CARROT-GINGER CUPCAKES WITH SPICED CREAM CHEESE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Prepare cake batter as directed on package; stir in carrots, nuts, ginger and 3/4 tsp. cinnamon.
• Spoon batter into 24 paper-lined muffin cups.
• Bake 15 min. or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool completely.
• Beat cream cheese in medium bowl with whisk until creamy. Gently stir in COOL WHIP; spread over cupcakes. Sprinkle with remaining cinnamon.

CARROT GINGER CUPCAKES WITH SPICED CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Prepare cake batter as directed on package using water/milk and 2 eggs.
• Stir in carrots, ginger, 3/4 t. cinnamon and walnuts.
• Spoon batter into 24 paper lined muffin cups.
• Bake 15 minutes or until toothpick comes clean.
• Beat cream cheese in medium bowl with wire whisk until smooth.
• Gently stir in whipped topping.
• Spread with reserved 1/4 t. cinnamon.
• Refrigerate until ready to serve.