I find that you can tell a lot about someone based on the type of carrot cake they make. I find that those who enjoy pineapple and coconut in their carrot cake are a bit more flamboyant and unpredictable than the average baker and, likely, have a tiki shirt in their closet.
Those who prefer heavy amount of cloves and raisins are traditionalists; they have a penchant for nostalgia and reminiscing over their fragrant and fruity carrot cakes that encapsulate their childhood.
Others prefer orange juice – modernizing the classics and stirring up cocktails to pair with them.
I like to see myself as inventive, strange, and maybe even quirky – my carrot cake is a carrot cupcake (I like to think I’m a wee bit adorable, too). Toasted walnuts add a certain bittersweet and earthy taste to the cupcakes. Cinnamon and a good dose of cardamom give it a faraway newness, which is only made more intriguing with the floral and citrusy finish from the orange zest.
Dolloped with some cream cheese frosting, it’s a carrot cupcake that emulates old times from way back when with a bit of a contemporary twist. A funky cupcake that anyone’s personality can appreciate.
Carrot Cake Cupcakes Recipe
Makes 24 cupcakes
Ingredients
- 1 cup of chopped walnuts (100 g)
- 1 pound (450 g) of carrots (about 3 1/2 cups, grated)
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) of buttermilk (or add a teaspoon of lemon juice to regular milk and allow to stand for 10 minutes)
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 2 cups (400 g) of sugar
- 1 cup (240 ml) of vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon of orange zest
- 3 cups (400 g) of all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon of baking soda
- 2 teaspoons of baking powder
- 1 teaspoon of kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon of ground cardamom
- 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
- 1 cup of unsalted butter, softened
- 16 ounces Philadelphia cream cheese
- 2 cups of powdered sugar, sifted
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