Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

At the request of my man, here are some carrot cake cupcakes. 

 
























































PJ's birthday was this past weekend! I love celebrating his birthday all weekend long  :)  We ate out ALOT and enjoyed every bit of it. Gotta splurge sometimes, he deserves it.

He wanted to go to Dave and Busters and so we drove out on Saturday night prepared for a crowd since it's the weekend, but definitely not prepared for how many people were there. I mean, who goes to Dave and Busters anymore? I hadn't been there in like 15 years lol and I never hear anyone saying they are going there for birthdays anymore. Wrong.

Packed. Little kids running around everywhere. Lines to play all of the games. 

You know what I learned? I'm officially old. 

We were there for about an hour at the most, and that was including time at the bar. Maybe it's time to move on from the arcades...

...until I've got some little kiddos of my own, that is ♥

Back to the point. It was his birthday on Friday and so when I asked what kind of birthday cake he'd like, he said carrot cake cupcakes. Sounds good to me. Carrot cake is one of my fave cakes, and cupcakes are easier than cakes. And cuter. He wins, I win, we all win.

 

Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
cupcakes from Food and Wine, frosting adapted from The Comfort of Cooking

*Yields: a dozen cupcakes 
*Note: You will have leftover frosting. 

For the Carrot Cake Cupcakes:

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup canola oil
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 and 1/2 cups carrots, finely shredded (from about 4-6 medium carrots)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line 12 muffin cups with paper liners. Spray the liners with baking spray.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. In a large bowl using an electric mixer, beat the eggs with the canola oil. Gradually beat in the sugar at medium-high speed and beat until thick, about 3 minutes. Beat in the vanilla. Fold in the dry ingredients with a rubber spatula, then fold in the carrots.

Spoon the batter into the muffin cups and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cupcakes comes out clean. Let cool slightly, then transfer the cupcakes to the freezer to chill.


For the Cream Cheese Frosting: 

• 12 oz cream cheese
• 7 and 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 3 and 1/2 cups confectioners sugar, sifted

Beat the cream cheese and butter on medium speed until well combined and smooth, about 2-3 minutes.  Mix in the vanilla extract.  Gradually beat in the confectioners sugar until totally incorporated. Increase the speed and then beat until smooth.  Frost cooled cupcakes as desired. 

*I used a Wilton 1M tip.

*NOTE: The frosted cupcakes can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. 
 
Printable Recipe

These cupcakes were fluffy, moist, perfect. The frosting was a tad too sweet so I reduced the confectioners sugar amount in the above recipe. These were for PJ but of course I couldn't keep my hands off of them. I've got leftover frosting and carrots in the fridge.... I think that means another batch coming right up.

Happy happiest birthday to my best friend, my love, my fiance, the man I'm lucky to spend all my time with and who even after 14 years, is still my favoritest (yep, just made that a word) person of all time. Thanks for sharing all of your birthdays with me!

And thanks for loving carrot cake like I do and for asking for carrot cake cupcakes which led me to find this recipe and discover the beauty that is this cupcake. 
 
Linking up here.

Peace, and bacon grease!