Mini Carrot Cupcakes with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting ~ March 2013 Daring Bakers’ challenge: Hidden Veggies

Ruth from Makey-Cakey was our March 2013 Daring Bakers’ challenge host. She encouraged us all to get experimental in the kitchen and sneak some hidden veggies into our baking, with surprising and delicious results!

It’s been a busy month as my son has school holidays and my whole day is spend with him.... I didn't even read the challenge properly to understand that we have to hide the veggies.... I made this carrot cupcake for the challenge.... Though the carrots are not hidden, these cupcakes are really soft, moist and tasty with the lemon cheese frosting.... try it I am sure you will love it....  

Mini Carrot Cupcakes with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting 

(Recipe from ~ The Australian Women’s Weekly)

Preparation time ~ 25 mints

Cooking time ~ 20 mints

Makes ~ 18

Ingredients:

⅓ cup (80ml) vegetable oil

½ cup (110gm) firmly packed light brown sugar

1 egg

1 cup firmly packed, coarsely packed grated carrot

⅓cup (40gm) finely chopped walnuts (or you can either use pistachios, cashew nuts, walnuts or a mix of all)

¾ cup (110gm) self-raising flour

½ tsp mixed spices (I used a mix of cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg)

Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

90gm cream cheese, softened

30gm unsalted butter, softened

1 tsp finely grated lemon rind

1 ½ cups (240gm) icing sugar

Method:

• Preheat oven to 160°C. Line 18 holes of two 12-hole muffin pans with paper cases.
• Beat oil, sugar and egg in a small bowl with electric mixer until thick and creamy. Stir in carrot and walnuts, then sifted flour and spice. Divide mixture into paper cases.
• Bakes cakes about 20 minutes. Stand cakes 5 minutes before turning top-side up onto wire rack to cool.
• Meanwhile, make lemon cream cheese frosting.
• Spread or pipe frosting onto cooled cakes.  Sprinkle cakes with lemon rind or nuts.

Lemon Cream Frosting~ Beat cream cheese, butter and rind in a small bowl with electric mixture until light and fluffy; gradually beat in sifted icing sugar.