Chocolate Carrot Cupcakes
I really like carrot cake and I like chocolate so to combine the two has to be a win win!
I made these in cupcake cases then remembered I had the little silicon plant pots which suit them perfectly!
My lovely daughter made the carrots and actually didn’t scoff all the marzipan for a change!
The mix is more muffin then cupcake and is moist and delicious.
Chocolate Carrot Cupcakes
Cake bit
175g soft brown sugar
3 eggs, lightly beaten
175g sunflower or vegetable oil
125g self raising flour
50g cocoa
½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract or bean paste
Grating of nutmeg
175g grated carrot
Finely grated zest of ½ orange
Icing bit
265g icing sugar
35g cocoa
150g soft butter
100g cream cheese (full fat)
1 tsp vanilla extract or bean paste
50-100g marzipan or sugar paste to make the carrots
Orange food colour gel
Parsley sprigs or green lace jelly sweets to make the carrot tops
Makes 12
Preheat oven to 170°C 150°C Fan GM3
Line a muffin tray with baking cases
Cake bit
- Place soft brown sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla together in a bowl and whisk to combine.
- Sieve in baking powder, cinnamon, cocoa and flour. Add the zest, nutmeg and grated carrot. Fold through, quickly and firmly until mixed. It’s important not to overmix as the texture will become dense.
- Divide between cases and bake for 20-25 until firm to the touch and a skewer comes out clear when inserted in the centre. Allow to cool for 5 minutes in the muffin tray then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Carrots
- Colour the marzipan or icing with a little orange/peach colour food gel. Roll a little in to a ball then a cone shape. Make a hole in the large end to thread the green top in to. Use a knife to make marks around to make it look more carrot like. Repeat.
Icing bit
- Beat the butter until really soft. Sieve in the icing sugar and add the vanilla and slowly beat to combine. Sieve in the cocoa and add the cream cheese. Beat until creamy and smooth.
- Once the cakes are cool scoop out some of the middle (set this aside). Use a small spatula or knife to spread icing across the top of each cake. The great thing about this cake is that it doesn’t have to be perfectly iced, in fact it looks better not! Add some to the hole in the middle too and then place a carrot in so some is still sticking proud (you may need to cut some off the bottom and eat that to make it fit properly!)
- Take the reserved cake ‘holes’ and either crumble with your fingers or blitz in a processor. This will be the ‘dirt’ and can be sprinkled on the icing. Add your carrot top green sprigs and you’re done. ♥
