Carrot Cake Miniatures with Cream Cheese Frosting!

Carrot Cake is my mom’s favorite cake. I had to make these mini’s for a bridal shower this weekend.  My mom was very disappointed that this recipe only make 35 minis.  She didn’t get one since when she came to visit today since the order was for 35 mini’s total and my recipe only yielded 35. Oh my ……I was in trouble   Next time I will have to double it!

Makes: 35 Mini Cupcakes

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs
• 1 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup canola oil
•  1/2 tsp mexican vanilla (my favorite is penzey’s)
•  1 cups all-purpose flour
•  1 TSP  ground cinnamon (penzey’s vietnamese is my favorite)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
•  1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
•  pinch of fresh nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1.5 cups very finely grated carrots (the key is use the finest side of the grater)
• 1/4 cup of chopped raisins

Directions:

• In a large bowl, beat the eggs, sugar, vanilla, and oil.

• Mix with whisk both the flours, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, allspice and salt; gradually add to egg mixture.

• Stir in carrots (make sure to finely grate the carrots this really adds to the taste and texture don’t sell yourself short by using the larger side of the grater). Fold in chopped raisins.

• Spray with cooking spray 35  paper-lined muffin cups and fill with size 60 scoop of batter.
• Bake at 325° for 14 to 15 minutes  (or until toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean).

Cream Cheese Frosting:

Ingredients:

1 Package of 8 ounce cream cheese (use 1/3 fat reduced)

1/4 cup of butter (1/2 a stick)

1 Teaspoon of Mexican vanilla extract

5 Cups of confections’ sugar

Directions:

Beat the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla all together until smooth and fluffy. Add confection’s sugar 1/2 cup to a cup at a time. Beat until creamy or to preferred consistency. Add to piping bag with tip of choice create magical minis 

Pineapple Upside Down Mini Cupcakes with Brown Sugar Buttercream

Who doesn’t love pineapple upside down cake???? Right, Well my sister doesn’t but ………..she liked these little bites of pineapple love.

Servings: 76 miniature cupcakes

Ingredients:

For Cupcakes:

• 2 drained (very well cans of crushed pineapple)
• 36 maraschino cherries, well drained & sliced in half
• 3 eggs
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup canola oil
• 1 cup (8 ounces) light sour cream
• 1 teaspoons Mexican vanilla extract
• 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon Vietnamese cinnamon

1.  Preheat oven to 350 and line mini cupcakes with paper liner

2. In a large bowl, beat eggs and sugar well. Beat in the oil, sour cream and vanilla until smooth.

Sift together the dry ingredients (the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt).

Add  dry mixture to egg mixture and mix well. Fold in the crushed pineapple.

3. Fill the cupcakes using a number 60 scooper.

Finish the cupcakes off with a half a cherry on the top.

Bake at 350 for 9 to 10 minutes.

Brown Sugar Buttercream

Frosting Ingredients:

• 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
• ½ cup  brown sugar (not packed)
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup heavy cream or half and half

Directions:

1. Cream the butter and the  brown sugar.

2. Add the cinnamon and the vanilla. Gradually add the confectionary sugar (not too quickly or you will have a cloud of sugar in your kitchen).

Lastly add the heavy cream and mix and get ready to add to your piping  bags to frost these miniatures.

Lemonade Mini Cupcakes with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting!

I had a cupcake order this weekend for a bridal shower. These Lemonade Mini Cupcakes were one of the 6 mini cupcakes I made. It was my first time making standard lemonade cupcakes but according to the bride they were one of the favorites at the shower. Spring is in the air and these are a perfect addition for any upcoming occasion this season.

This recipe will make 48 minis

Ingredients:

1  1/2 cups of AP Flour Plus 1/8 cup of AP Flour

1 teaspoon of kosher salt

2 sticks of butter (unsalted) Yes it matters

1 Cup of granulated sugar

1 1/2 TB Lemon Zest

1 1/2 TB of Lemon Juice (fresh is the ticket)

1/2 Teaspoon of vanilla (Mexican is my favorite)

4 whole eggs and one egg white

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degree. Line mini cupcakes tins with paper liners. Spray with Pam spray.

2. In a medium bowl sift together salt and flour.

3. With an electric mixer beat butter with sugar (cream on medium high speed) until light and fluffy. Scraping down sides of bowl every few minutes.

4. Add lemon zest and juice. Reduce speed to medium and add vanilla. Add one whole egg at  a time, beating until incorporated, scrap down the sides after each additional egg.  Now reduce speed to low.

5. Add Flour mixture in batches of 1/2 cup portions, beating until completely incorporated after each addition.

6. Divide the batter up using a number 60 scoop for perfect even baking and sizes for the cupcakes.

Bake for 9 to 10 minutes depending on your oven test often these will be done in no time!

7. Let cupcakes cool before frosting

Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting!

Ingredients:

1 Package of 8 ounce cream cheese (use 1/3 fat reduced)

1/4 cup of butter (1/2 a stick)

2 TB of fresh Lemon Juice

2 Tsp of Lemon Zest

1 Teaspoon of Mexican vanilla extract

5 Cups of confections’ sugar

Directions:

Beat the cream cheese, butter, lemon juice, lemon zest and vanilla all together until smooth and fluffy. Add confection’s sugar 1/2 cup to a cup at a time. Beat until creamy or to preferred consistency. Add to piping bag with tip of choice create magical minis

Pink Lady Raspberry Lemonade Cupcakes

These cupcakes are a summertime favorite!! Since it is now April, I feel as though it is time to start preparing some summer flavors!

Ingredients:

3 cups of Cake Flour

1 1/2 cups  AP flour

3/4 Tsp of Baking Soda

2 1/4 Tsp Baking Powder

1 1/2 Tsp of kosher salt

2 1/4 sticks of Unsalted Butter ( 1 cup plus 2 TB) (room temperature)

2 1/4 Cup of Sugar

5 Large eggs plus 3 additional yolks (room temperature)

2 cups of Buttermilk (room temperature)

2 Tsp Pure Mexican Vanilla Extract

3 Table of Pink Lemonade Powder (something like country time)

1/2 a medium Lemon zest

½ of a fresh lemon juice

Bake at 350 for 20 to 25 minutes for standard size cupcakes and 9- 10 minutes for mini cupcakes

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard size cupcakes or mini cupcake tins with paper liners and spray with Pam Spray.

2. Sift together flours, baking soda and powder, and salt. Set aside

3. Use an electric mixer to beat on medium high speed butter, sugar, lemonade mix. Once light and fluffy in appearance incorporate eggs one at a time, and yolks one at a time. Make sure to scrap down sides unless you have the kitchen-aid attachment that has the paddle with the spatula attached. Once the eggs are mixed into the sugar mixture start alternating with flour mixture and buttermilk on low speed. Now is a good time to add the lemon juice and zest. Add vanilla at very end you don’t want it to evaporate.

4. Divide the batter in cupcake size pan as you desire. If using standard size my go to is a scoop size number 16. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes about 10 minutes in rotate pans halfway in the baking process. Bake for 20 minutes and check with toothpick and see if it comes out clean. Let cool on wire racks. Let cool completely before filling the cupcakes with raspberry filling.

Pink Lemonade Frosting:

Add 5 Tablespoons of Lemonade concentrate

One whole lemon zest (or at least one teaspoon)

Vanilla 1 teaspoon

One pound of sugar powder ( 3 ½ cups to 4 cups of powered sugar)

1 cup butter  (2 sticks)

Directions: Beat butter and add sugar, when fluffy add vanilla, zest.

Raspberry Filling Ingredients:

2 cups of raspberry (fresh or frozen)

3 table corn starch

1/3 cup sugar

fresh 1 teaspoon lemon Juice

1 ¼ cup water

Directions for filling

For filling, in a medium sauce pan, combine water, sugar, flour and lemon juice and mix well.Heat and stir until mixture boils and thickens.Cool completely! Stir in raspberries. (It will make a lot!).

To fill cupcakes, cut a small round whole, fill with raspberry filling, then replace  the  cutout of the cupcake on top of the filling Frosting will cover it up to marking.

Strawberry Mimosa Cupcakes

I was asked to make mini strawberry mimosa cupcakes for a wedding shower tasting. So I knew exactly where to turn to for my research. I love Martha Stewart’s recipes and I own her cupcake recipe book.  So of course this recipe was inspired by her Strawberry Cupcakes on page 146. Years ago  I rented this cookbook at the library before I purchased it. After I made one recipe I knew I had to buy this cookbook. Here is the link below if you are interested in her cookbook as well. http://www.marthastewart.com/275736/martha-stewarts-cupcakes/@center/276944/cupcakes Continue reading →