Carrot Cupcakes

By Lorena_321

Ingredients

• Carrot ribbons:
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1 t. baking powder
• 1 t. baking soda
• 1 t. salt
• 1 t. cinnamon
• 1/2 t. allspice
• 2 large carrots, peeled and grated
• 3/4 cup golden raisins
• 1 cup finely chopped walnuts
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/3 cup whole milk
• 1 t. vanilla
• 1 large carrot, peeled
• 2 cups sugar
• Frosting:
• 8 oz. cream cheese
• 4 T. unsalted butter
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 t. vanilla
• 3 T. simple syrup (reserved from ribbons)

Details

Servings 18

Preparation

Step 1

For cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line one 12-cup and one 6-cup muffin tin with paper liners and set aside. In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients - flour through allspice. Add grated carrots, raisins, and walnuts. In a medium bowl, whisk eggs, then oil, milk and vanilla. Stir egg mixture into carrot mixture. Divide batter between prepared tins.
Bake cupcakes, with rack set in the middle, until a toothpick inserted into center of cupcakes tests clean, about 15 minutes, rotating halfway through. Turn out cupcakes; transfer to a wire rack and let cool.
For ribbons: Using a vegetable peeler, shave carrot into long ribbons. In a medium pot over medium-high heat, bring 1 cup water and sugar to a boil until sugar dissolves. Add carrot ribbons and simmer until translucent, about 10 minutes. Remove pot from heat and let ribbons steep in syrup for 30 minutes more. With a fork, transfer ribbons to parchment and let drain. Set aside 3 T. simple syrup for frosting.
For frosting: In a large bowl, using an electric mixer set on medium, beat cream cheese and butter together until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add powdered sugar, vanilla, and reserved simple syrup and beat until frosting is silky, about 1 minute. Frost each cupcake, and using a toothpick, top each with a candied carrot ribbon.