I love, like LOVE cake. Especially when it’s homemade – I mean, really and truly if there is a person out there who doesn’t love a fresh-out-the-oven cake, I don’t want to meet them (unless it’s to tell them how wrong they are). Carrot cake is a personal favourite, so I figured I’d go right ahead and share a little carrot cupcake with cream cheese frosting recipe.

Before you get into it, here’s what you should know:

I have NO idea how many calories are in this thing…!

I don’t think of edible things that way (sorry…?). But it’s safe to say, it’s probably not low calorie, or low fat, or massively healthy. It’s cake! It’s a treat. It’s not like you’re going to eat the entire batch by yourself (unless you are…not gonna judge)…so…let’s be sensible about it mkay? Great!

This recipe made me 24 cupcakes.

Ingredients:

• 250g self-raising flour.
• 200g light brown sugar.
• 200g caster sugar.
• 60g ground almonds
• 300g grated carrots
• X2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 350ml vegetable oil
• 4 medium eggs
• X1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Juice of ½ an orange (totally optional, I like the citrus-y tang)
• X3 tablespoons of apple sauce (totally optional, I like the apple-y taste)
• An oven preheated to 160c (fan assisted) or 180c (regular) or 350 (gas)

Cream cheese frosting:

• 55g Softened butter
• 112g Cream cheese
• 240g Icing sugar
• X1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Ok…let’s talk about the sugar, if it’s easier for you, use either 400g of light brown sugar or (or…OR…you know who you are), 400g of caster sugar, I hear using purely light brown sugar results in a moister cake.

Method (cake):

• Beat the eggs, the vanilla extract and vegetable oil together.
• Mix the grated carrots into the egg and oil mixture
• Mix the self-raising flour, sugars, ground almonds and cinnamon together
• Add egg mixture to the flour mixture and mix well
• If you’re using the orange juice and/or applesauce mix them in
• Spoon the mixture into cupcake cups (I fill them about 3/4 of the way full)
• Place on middle shelf in oven for 18-20 minutes (or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of a cupcake comes out without wet batter/just a few crumbs)
• Place on a cooling rack for 20 minutes, and start making the frosting (or start eating the cakes).

Method (frosting):

• Beat the butter and cream cheese together until they are mixed well
• Add the icing sugar and vanilla extract and beat together until mixed well and creamy

Once the cakes have cooled, you can pipe the frosting onto the cakes…or just spread the frosting on using a knife/spoon…we’re not fancy here! In the spirit of Easter, I’ve gone ahead and added some mini chocolate eggs, and teeny carrots on the tops. But….they aren’t necessary*

*excuse the photography.