Carrot Cupcakes with Flower Fondant Decorations

I've made carrot cupcakes before. I have also made fondant roses and flowers. I  have never combined them together, so here goes!

I think it turned out ok. This is the first project, although small, I did after moving to Northern California. My new oven is slow at preheating, and never reaches the correct temperature until 20 minutes after it says it did. So I got an oven thermometer to be safe.

I made these cupcakes for my husband's new co-workers. Most of them are men, so this is kinda girly, but I felt like making flowers. So this is what they are going to get!

So, since I have made both carrot cupcakes and fondant flowers. Here are the links to them if you feel adventurous and want to try this project out!

Carrot Cupcakes

Fondant Roses

I hope you have fun making either of the recipes.

Carrot Cupcakes

I love carrot cake. I also love cream cheese frosting. Good thing that these two things were made for each other. My husband is not fond of carrot cake, so nobody is helping me devour these yummy carrot cupcakes. I made them into cupcakes so that I can give them away. I knew ahead my husband wouldn't eat them. He's missing out!

These carrot cupcakes are moist and delicious beyond imagine. They have toasted walnuts, sweetened shredded coconut and currants in them. The currants give them a yummy chewy tangy bite when you get one. It's yummy. 

This recipe can make 1 small 7-8 inch round cake or 18-20 cupcakes. This recipe is really easy too!

Ingredients:

1 cup all purpose flour

1 tps baking soda

1 tps baking powder

1 tps ground cinnamon

1/2 tps all-spice, optional

1/2 tps salt

2 large eggs, room temp.

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup vegetable oil

1 cup (8 oz) shredded carrot

1/2 cup currants

1/2 cup walnuts, chopped and toasted

1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut

2 cups of cream cheese frosting

Directions:

1. Combine all the dry ingredients in a bowl.

2. Beat eggs with sugar until pale. 2 minutes. Add oil, and mix until combined.

3. Add in dry ingredients. Mix well.

4. Add in carrots, currants, walnuts, and coconut. Mix well.

5. For cupcakes, fill 2/3 full and bake at 350 for 20 minutes. For 7/8 inch cake, bake for 40 minutes.

Top with cream cheese frosting on your choice!

Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Buttercream

I have to admit, this is the best chocolate cupcake recipe I've ever eaten or made. It is beyond moist, and kind of dissolves on your tongue. I've been keeping this recipe a secret for over a year, and finally decided to share it today. Because my blog's birthday is tomorrow! It's been a good 2 years sharing my recipes and secrets with you! Do enjoy!

This recipe makes about 18 standard size cupcakes. I actually made mini cupcakes this time, and got about 60. So decide what your goal quantity is. This recipe is extremely easy to make. =]

The batter in this recipe is beyond runny. It's like soupy. That's the only thing I dislike about it. If you're not careful, it could make a mess on your cupcake pans. There's my warning.

Ingredients:

Dry:

1 3/4 cup flour, all purpose or cake

2 cup sugar

3/4 cup cocoa powder

2 tps baking soda

1 tps baking powder

1 tps salt

Wet:

2 eggs

1 cup strong coffee (1 cup hot water with 2 tps instant coffee)

1 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 Tbs vanilla extract

1 Tbs coffee liquor, optional

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F.

1. Combine all the dry ingredients. Sift it through a sleeve into a mixing bowl.

2. Add all the wet ingredients into the bowl.

3. Using a paddle attachment, mix for 2 minutes on medium.

3. For standard cupcakes, fill 2/3 full and bake for 15-18 minutes. For mini cupcakes, fill half full and bake for 10-12 minutes.

4. Let cool. Pipe chocolate ganache into the cupcakes (optional)

5. Swirl buttercream on top. Top with shredded Reeses peanut butter cups candy.

I swear you will never make another chocolate cupcake recipe after tasting this one.

Now for the buttercream. My favorite is a swiss meringue. It's not overly sweet, and melts in your mouth. Yummy! You can use your favorite swiss meringue buttercream, and add creamy peanut butter into it, to taste. I usually add 2 heaping spoon fulls.  I use this recipe for my buttercream, half it for this recipe.

Crumb Cake Cupcakes

My boyfriend loves coffee cake. However, the term "coffee cake" did not return results that I hoped for. I believe crumb cake is the correct term. If there is a difference between coffee cake and crumb cake, I don't know what it is. If you know it, please tell me!

I decided to make a traditional crumb cake into crumb cupcakes for the ease of not having to cut the cake into perfect squares. I'm a lil OCD about cutting the perfect square. So to prevent myself from going crazy trying to cut perfect 3 x 3 in squares, cupcake form is the perfect solution!