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Carrot Cupcakes
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Carrot Cupcakes

I adore carrot cake. It’s one of my favorite desserts. This carrot cupcakes recipe is delicate and less hippie than my go to, so it was fun to try Melissa’s sophisticated take on the classic from The Minimalist Kitchen.
Author: Melissa Coleman

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

  • 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup whole-wheat pastry flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 3⁄4 tsp ground cardamom
  • ½ tsp kosher salt
  • ¼ tsp freshly ground nutmeg
  • Dash ground cloves

Wet Ingredients

  • ¾ cup roughly chopped and peeled carrots around 2 to 3 carrots
  • Thumbtip peeled fresh ginger
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup olive oil
  • 2 large eggs room temperature
  • 2 Tbsp heavy cream
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract Homemade Vanilla Recipe

Frosting

  • 1 cup heavy cream chilled
  • ¾ cup powdered sugar
  • ½ tsp cream of tartar
  • ½ tsp pure vanilla extract Homemade Vanilla Recipe
  • Dash cardamom optional
  • 4 oz mascarpone chilled
  • sprinkles optional
  • Large flaked unsweetened coconut roughly broken up
  • Hemp seeds

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a muffin tin with liners.
  • Prepare the dry ingredients. In a small bowl, whisk together all of the dry ingredients. Set aside.
  • Prepare the wet ingredients. In a high-powered blender or food processor, add the carrots and ginger. Blend on medium-low until shredded. In a medium bowl, whisk together the carrot mixture and sugar, olive oil, eggs, heavy cream and vanilla until well combined. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Fold together until just combined.
  • Using a 4 tablespoon-sized spring-release Scoop (2-ounce scoop/#16 scoop), scoop the batter evenly into the lined tin, filling a little less than two-thirds full. Bake for about 22 minutes or until a light press in the middle bounces back. Let cool in the pan for 1 minute before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely before icing, about 30 minutes.
  • Make the frosting. In a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment and a completely clean bowl, add the cream, powdered sugar, cream of tartar, vanilla, and, if desired, cardamom. Beat on high until soft peaks form. Add the mascarpone and beat again just until stiff peaks. The frosting will be light yet spreadable (I piped it on the cupcakes, because I couldn’t help myself, but it requires an extra tool.)
  • Evenly divide the frosting in the middle of the cooled cupcakes. Using a butter knife, gently smooth off the top. Lightly sprinkle with the coconut and hemp seeds, if desired. The cupcakes are best after at least a 2-hour rest. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.