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Carrot & Walnut Cupcakes

The only carrot cake recipe you will ever need. Moist, slightly spicy and topped with a decadent caramel cream cheese buttercream, these cupcakes with send any carrot cake lover craving more.

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 12 cupcakes

Ingredients

  • 3 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1 cup canola oil
  • 125 grams sour cream
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups plain flour
  • 1 tsp bicarb soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 2 tsp mixed spice
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 1/2 cups grated carrot
  • 100 grams roughly chopped walnuts You can substitute pecan nuts if you prefer

Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 125 g butter, chopped
  • 125 g cream cheese, chopped
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 4 - 5 tbls caramel sauce, approx You may need more or less, depending on how strong you want the caramel flavour
  • 1 - 2 tbls cream, approx Add as necessary, to get consistency right
  • 2 - 3 cups icing sugar, sifted You may need more to get consistency right

Instructions

  1. Turn oven on to 180C

  2. Line muffin tray with 12 cupcake papers.

  3. For the cupcakes, using an electric mixer on low (or a hand whisk will do), combine eggs, oil, sour cream, sugar, vanilla and sifted dry ingredients in a bowl and mix on medium speed until well combined.

  4. Turn mixer onto low speed and mix in carrots and walnuts until well combined.
  5. Using an ice cream scoop, put mixture into prepared cupcake liners and bake in a moderate oven for 20 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. You may need to keep them in an extra 5 minutes. Make sure they are cooked properly.

  6. Leave on a wire wrack to cool. Frost with caramel cream cheese icing and decorate with more chopped walnuts and caramel.

Cream Cheese Frosting

  1. In an electric mixer on low, combine butter and cream cheese. Turn onto high and whip together for a good 4 - 5 minutes or until very light and fluffy and pale in colour.

  2. Turn mixer to low and add vanilla.

  3. Slowly add icing sugar, a little at a time. When it gets too thick, add the caramel. 

  4. If still too thick, add dashes of cream until frosting is desired consistency. 

  5. Frost cupcakes.

Homemade Caramel Sauce

  1. Have all ingredients ready.

    In a medium saucepan combine 1 cup granulated sugar, 1/4 cup water and a dash of sea salt. Whisk until mixture starts to boil, then leave it to simmer until it turns a brown, golden colour. This can take up to ten minutes. Swirl pan occasionally. 

  2. Immediately whisk in 1/4 cup chopped butter. Turn off heat and whisk in 2/3 cup cream. This will steam up and get very hot, so be careful and don't have the kiddies close with this one. Whisk until smooth. Allow to cool and pour into a glass jar to refrigerate, where caramel will thicken.