All content copyright Katrina Hall 2008 through 2025

Sunday, April 17, 2011

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.

*

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!


6 comments:

Barb said...

What a great idea for Easter! They look so good and quite festive.

The mouse, however, not so much! Didn't you tell me that you live a very old house? Ahhh, the joys of an old house. Now you'll have to have 'talk' with the cat. Good luck!

katrina said...

Ah, Barb - I tried talking to Domino, but clearly, she was not the least bit interested in finding that fat mouse. She does her hunting at night, like any proper cat, so shutting her up in the kitchen may end this saga. I pray.
Old houses, while charming, usually come with half dirt basements, which basically offer mice carte blanche to zip up to the main part of the house. In the meantime, I'm enjoying the last of those cupcakes!

Barb said...

I think you more than deserve and have earned those cupcakes!

Hopefully, Domino has done her workby now! (Have we seen a picture of Domino? Presumably, black & white in color?)

katrina said...

Well, either the mouse didn't show or she ate it:) I thought I'd posted a picture of her once, but she's a terrible model! She usually moves away just as I try to snap a picture -

RSA Now said...

Maybe no one ever told her that cats were supposed to hunt mice :) those cupcake look gooooood

katrina said...

Thanks, RSA! I sure do looove those cupcakes - I think I'll make another batch tomorrow ( just to get me through the weekend:)
On the mouse front, things seemed to have quieted down - so I think Miss Domino is doing her duty, after all.