Emo's famous Carrot Cupcakes

I have always loved carrot cake. Its one of those traditional cakes great for all kinds of occasions. In an attempt to recreate a carrot cake cupcake I bought once I came up with this recipe, its an amalgamation of about ten different recipes and after a couple of attempts this is the final recipe. It always works and everyone loves it. It ends up very moist, so you can reduce the amount of oil added if you prefer.

Eman's Carrot Cupcake recipe

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups brown sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 eggs

2 cups self raising flour

1/2 tablespoon cinnamon

1 teaspoons bicarb soda

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoons salt

2.5 cups peeled grated carrot (about 3 big carrots)

1 cup walnuts

Zest from 1 orange

Zest from 1 lemon

For the frosting:

125g cream cheese, at room temperature

125g unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

450g icing sugar

1 handful fine chopped walnuts

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 180C.
2. Sift together the flour, cinnamon, cloves, bicarb soda, and salt.
3. In another bowl, beat the sugar, oil, and vanilla together (use an electric mixer).
4. Add the eggs, 1 at a time.
5. With the mixer on low speed, add 1/2 of the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.
6. Add the grated carrots, and walnuts to the remaining flour, mix well, and add to the batter.
7. Mix until just combined.
8. Line muffin pans with paper liners.
9. Scoop the batter into 12 muffin cups until each is 3/4 full.
10. Bake at 180C for 20-25 minutes. Do this until a toothpick comes out clean.
11. Cool on a rack.

Frosting:

12. Cream the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer.
13. Add the sugar and beat until smooth.
14. When the cupcakes are cool, frost them generously and serve with a little touch of walnuts on each.

Enjoy!!

Eman xoxoxox