carrotcake cupcakes - and a four legged surprise

This morning I thought I'd see how my Easter Carrot Cake would look as cupcakes, sooooo, I pulled out my sunny yellow baking bins, where I stash all my pretty papers and doilies and found this mess you see above. A stylish Mrs. Mouse, no doubt, making a cozy new nest for her gazillion babies. This of course led to pulling out everything from under the sink and the neighboring cupboards, where I saw an inch wide gap; obviously, that was how she got in. I duct-taped it, and squirted some of that expandable glop, that looked exactly like whipped cream, and let it dry. Tidying the under-counter boxes: SHRIEK. A large, very fat mouse lept out of one of the boxes. I screamed for my cat, who sashayed in, took a look, and left. Tonight I plan to shut her in the kitchen, and that, I hope, will be that.

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Deep breath. The cupcakes came out very nicely, just as moist and tasty as the cake, and I swirled on some of that butter and cream cheese frosting everyone loves. So if cupcakes work better for a gathering this Eastertime, do give them a try.

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This makes 9 cupcakes.

Preheat oven to 350F.

Arrange cupcake liners in a regularly sized muffin tin.

I shred the carrots using my KitchenAid grater attachment.

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2 extra large eggs

3/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup vegetable oil or light olive oil

1 1/3 cups King Arthur flour

1 t. baking powder

1 t. baking soda

1 t. cinnamon

1 cup packed finely grated carrots

1/2 cup sweetened coconut

Beat eggs, add the sugar, oil, and dry ingredients and mix well. Add the carrots and coconut and stir, then , using an ice cream scoop, scoop one scoop into each liner.

Bake for about 25 minutes, or until tops are firm when gently pressed.

Remove to cooling rack for a few minutes, then remove from muffin tins to cool further.

Let cool completely before frosting!

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Cream Cheese frosting with fresh lemon juice:

1 large package cream cheese

1 stick (8 T) unsalted, softened butter

about 2 T. fresh lemon juice

one box of confectioner's sugar

Beat in mixer bowl until creamy, then spoon into a pastry bag and swirl away.

You'll have some left over, which you can freeze for midnight snack attacks.

Happy Easter to all!