Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Buttercream Icing
December 3rd 2009 -
I’m making baked goods for my holiday gifts…
Carrot Cake Ingredients:
4 cups cake flour
4 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons iodized salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 1/2 cups canola oil
3 1/2 cups sugar
8 large eggs
4 teaspoons vanilla extract
10 medium carrots, peeled and grated (about 6 cups grated)
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly spray two 8- or 9-inch round cake pans with a nonstick spray and line the bottoms with a round of parchment paper. For cupcakes, prepare pans with cupcake liners.
Sift the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon together and reserve.
Mix the oil, sugar, eggs, and vanilla together with a handheld beater or paddle attachment on medium speed until all ingredients are thoroughly combined, about 1 minute. Add the sifted ingredients and mix on low speed until just incorporated. Stir in the carrots by hand.
Divide batter evenly among the prepared pans. Bake the cakes until a skewer inserted near the center comes out clean, for 8- or 9-inch cakes 80 to 90 minutes, for cupcakes about 25 minutes.
Let the layers cool in the pans for a few minutes before turning out onto wire racks to finish cooling. The cakes are ready to fill and frost now, or they can be wrapped and stored at room temperature for 2 days, or frozen for up to 3 weeks.
Makes two 8-inch or 9-inch layers, or 24 cupcakes
Buttercream Icing Ingredients:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted, plus extra as needed
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup heavy cream or whole milk plus extra as needed
Directions:
In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter on medium speed until it is very light in texture, about 2 minutes. Add the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla extract, and salt and mix on a low speed until the sugar and butter are blended, scraping down the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Increase the speed to medium and, with the mixer running, add the cream in a thin stream. Increase the speed to high and whip the buttercream until very smooth, light, and with a good spreading consistency. Adjust the consistency if necessary by adding a bit more confectioners’ sugar or cream. Use to fill, ice, and decorate a cake.
Note: Once blended, buttercreams can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. To use after refrigeration, let the buttercream soften at room temperature for about 15 minutes. Transfer it to the bowl of a stand mixer and beat with the paddle attachment until it has a smooth, light spreading consistency, 3 to 4 minutes.
Source: CIA
