Carrot Cup Cakes

This cupcake recipe was recommended by a friend. I've baked numerous cakes but these were my first cupcakes and I'm glad I followed the recipe without experimenting too much, as these were absolutely loved by all who had them.

I baked these cupcakes last week and now I'm at my parents place in Madhya Pradesh. I'm thoroughly enjoying the winters after a long time and all the fresh winter produce. I almost forgot that, peas come in pods and not just in frozen plastic bags, the carrots are so red in winters instead of the orange coloured carrots we get in Kerala. It’s such a delight just to see such fresh winter vegetables.

I had to try these cupcakes with juicy red carrots but this time I replaced, all purpose flour with powdered oats and wheat flour (idea from Apple and Cinnamon Cake with Whole Wheat Flour and Oats), the result was great. I recommend this, if you want a healthier cupcake as all purpose flour has no nutrition at all. The flavour is slightly different but it is something no one will notice. My parents enjoyed the healthier version and said they wouldn't want to change anything about it. 

Adapted from Martha Stewart

Preparation time: 15mins

Baking time: 25 minutes

Makes 18 cupcakes

Ingredients I used:

• 1 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ¼ cup buttermilk
• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1½ cups grated carrots
• ½ cup raisins

 Decorations 

• Buttercream frosting 
• Cherries

Procedure:

1. Preheat oven to 180 degree Celsius and line the muffin cups with cupcake liners. 

2. In a large mixing bowl add sugar, eggs, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, buttermilk and mix well until everything is combined well.

3. Mix sifted flour, cinnamon powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add three quarters of flour mixture to the sugar and egg mixture and mix well.

4. Add the grated carrots and raisins to the remaining flour mixture. Mix well till all the carrots and raisins are coated. Now stir this into the batter until it all combines.

5. Fill three quarters of the muffin cups with the batter and bake for 20-25 minutes at 180degree Celsius or until a tooth pick inserted in the centre comes out clean. 

6. Decorate it with Buttercream frosting and cherries when the cupcakes cool down or just enjoy it right away, it tastes great when it's warm.

Notes:

1. You can make instant buttermilk by adding 1tbsp Vinegar to 1cup milk. Remember you just need ¼ cup buttermilk for this recipe.

2. I baked 6 cupcakes at a time as my oven is small and each batch took around 22 minutes.

3. The crust of the cupcake tastes awesome when it's warm right out of the oven. I actually didn't taste it but my husband kept saying that so many times that I thought it should be mentioned.

4. I had some Buttercream, so I frosted the cupcakes but we feel they taste great even without frosting.
5. You can replace all purpose flour with half cup oats (powdered) and one cup wheat flour. I'll always bake this cake with wheat flour and oats from now on.

Health and Nutrition 

• Carrot is very low in Saturated Fat and Cholesterol. It is also a good source of Thiamin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Folate and Manganese, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K and Potassium.
• Oats are are good source of dietary fiber. 

I'm sending this to Kid's delight  hosted by Veg Junction

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