Not So Secret Carrot Cake Cupcake

Let me just try and put into words how this is the BEST carrot cake recipe, or maybe I'm biased since this is a family recipe. The pineapple brings out a sweetness and a softness to the cake that is indescribable, and it is not overly spiced making this a perfect dessert for any occasion.

Yield: 24 cupcakes or one cake

Time: 30 minutes (or 1 hour for a cake)

INGREDIENTS

Cupcake:

• 1 ½ cup vegetable oil

• 2 cups sugar

• 3 eggs

2 cups grated carrots

• 1 cup crushed pineapple

• 1 cup walnuts (optional)

• 2 ½ cup flour

• ½ tsp baking soda

• ½ tsp salt

• 1 tsp cinnamon

• 1 tsp vanilla

Frosting:

• 1 stick of butter (8 tbsp), room temperature

• 6oz cream cheese

• 4 cups powdered sugar

• 2 tsp vanilla

INSTRUCTIONS

Cupcake:

Preheat the oven to 350°F, and line a standard cupcake pan with paper liners. (If making a cake, use Crisco to grease up all sides and bottom of the pan then put ~1/4cup flour into the pan and then move the pan around till there is an even distribution of flour everywhere. Throw out excess flour.)

Sift dry ingredients in a small bowl.

In a large mixing bowl, combine oil, sugar, and eggs. Add pineapple and grated carrots. Mix well.

Add half of the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, combine. Add remaining dry ingredients till well combined.

Lastly, add vanilla and nuts till incorporated.

Fill the cupcake liners about ¾ full. Bake for 15-17 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. (If making a cake, bake for 45min, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean).

Frosting:

Combine softened butter and cream cheese together until smooth.

Add vanilla and half the powdered sugar, combine. Add remaining powdered sugar until all incorporated. (If the frosting is too thick, add milk).

Pipe frosting onto cooled cupcakes and… Enjoy!

**psst... find the moose moose (aka our cat) in the background)

Lemon Strawberry Cupcakes with Baileys

A simple Valentine's cupcake that brings out a subtle strawberry and lemon taste. Once you bite into it and get a taste of the filling, you will want seconds. If you have extra filling, buy some vanilla wafers and you have a second dessert!

Yield: 24 cupcakes

Time: 45 minutes

INGREDIENTS

Cupcakes

• 1 cup butter

• 2 cup sugar

• 2 Tbsp lemon zest

• 4 eggs

• 2 1/2 cup flour

• 1/2 cup cornstarch

• 1 Tbsp baking powder

• 1 tsp salt

• 1 cup sour cream

• 2 Tbsp milk

• 2 Tbsp freshly-squeezed lemon juice

• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Filling

• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream, cold

• 1/4 cup powdered sugar

• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

• 3 oz cream cheese, room temperature

• 1/2 cup chopped strawberries

Frosting

• 1 cup freeze-dried strawberries

• 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

• 4 cups powdered sugar

• 3–4 tbsp Bailey’s Strawberry and Cream

• Fresh berries, for topping

INSTRUCTIONS

Cupcakes:

Preheat the oven to 350°F, and line a standard cupcake pan with paper liners.

In a small bowl, combine dry ingredients.

In a large bowl mix together butter, sugar, and lemon zest until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time till incorporated.

Add half the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix at medium speed. Then add sour cream, milk, and lemon juice and mix again.

Continue to add the rest of the dry ingredients. Scrape down the sides of the bowl after each new addition. Be careful to not over mix!

Evenly fill cupcake liners about ¾ full. Bake for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Filling:

Add the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract to a large bowl.

Whip on high speed with the whisk attachment until soft peaks form. Don’t skimp on time, if you think it’s done go a touch longer. About 5 minutes.

Add the cream cheese and continue whipping until stiff peaks form.

Stir in the chopped strawberries.

Frosting:

Add the freeze-dried berries to a food processor, magic bullet, or anything on hand and grind into a powder. Try and make it as fine as possible, it’ll make piping it easier in the end. Set aside.

Add the butter to a large mixer bowl and mix until smooth.

Add about half of the powdered sugar, combine.

Add up to 3 tablespoons of Bailey’s Strawberry and Cream, mix until smooth.

Add the remaining powdered sugar, powdered berries and mix until well combined. Add additional Bailey’s Strawberry and Cream or milk, as needed to get the desired consistency.

To Assemble:

Once cupcakes are cooled, use a corer or a knife to cut out a hole in the middle of the cupcake.

Fill centers with the filling.

Pipe frosting onto cupcakes. Sprinkle additional freeze-dried strawberries on top or garnish with fresh strawberries… Enjoy!

Old Fashioned Eggnog cupcakes

Eggnog has been a tradition since medieval times, although they may not have known it back then. Here is a new take on the classic drink; whether your household likes eggnog or not, this cupcake will be sure to turn you into an eggnog lover. The pumpkin pie spice brings out the spices in the eggnog, without being overpowering. This subtle enough cupcake leaves you wanting more.

Yield: 12-15 cupcakes

Time: 30min

Cupcakes

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder

• 3/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 6 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature

• 3/4 cups sugar

• 1 1/2 tbsp vegetable oil

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 2 large eggs

• 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp eggnog

Frosting

• 1/2 cup butter

• 1/2 cup shortening

• 4 cups powdered sugar

• 4 tbsp eggnog

• 1/2 tbsp bourbon or whiskey

• 1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice

INSTRUCTIONS

Cupcakes:

Preheat the oven to 350°F, and line a standard cupcake pan with paper liners.

Combine the flour, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, and salt in a medium-sized bowl and set aside.

Add the butter, sugar, and oil to a large mixer bowl and beat together until light in color and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Do not skimp on the creaming time.

Add one egg, mixing until mostly combined. Add the other egg and vanilla extract, combine. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to be sure all ingredients are well incorporated.

Add half of the dry ingredients to the batter and mix until mostly combined.

Slowly add the eggnog and mix until well combined.

Add the remaining dry ingredients and mix until well combined and smooth. Do not over mix the batter.

Fill the cupcake liners just over 1/2 full and bake for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Frosting:

Combine the butter and shortening in a large mixer bowl and mix until well combined.

Add half of the powdered sugar and mix until well combined and smooth.

Add half of the eggnog, bourbon or whiskey, and pumpkin pie spice; mix until well combined and smooth.

Add the remaining powdered sugar and mix until well combined and smooth.

Add remaining eggnog and mix until well combined and smooth.

Frost the cupcakes with the buttercream and sprinkle with a little nutmeg and… Enjoy!