Description
Adorable carrot cupcakes designed with a festive reindeer face decoration, perfect for holiday celebrations or any fun dessert occasion. Enjoy a moist cupcake paired with tangy cream cheese frosting and creative edible decor.
Ingredients
— For the Carrot Cupcakes:
– 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
– 1 cup granulated sugar
– 1/2 cup light brown sugar
– 1 tsp baking soda
– 1/2 tsp baking powder
– 1/2 tsp salt
– 1 tsp ground cinnamon
– 2 large eggs
– 1/2 cup vegetable oil
– 1 cup grated carrots
– 1/2 cup crushed pineapple (drained)
– 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
– 1 tsp vanilla extract
— For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
– 8 oz cream cheese, softened
– 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
– 2 cups powdered sugar
– 1 tsp vanilla extract
— For Reindeer Decorations:
– Edible candy eyes
– Mini red candies or red sprinkles for the nose
– Small chocolate chips or mini M&Ms for detailing
Instructions
1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
3. In a large bowl, beat the eggs with vegetable oil and vanilla extract until well combined.
4. Stir in the grated carrots and drained crushed pineapple (and walnuts, if using) into the wet ingredients.
5. Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just incorporated.
6. Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake liners, filling each about 2/3 full.
7. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow cupcakes to cool completely.
8. For the cream cheese frosting, beat together the softened cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy.
9. Frost the cooled cupcakes and use edible decorations (candy eyes, mini red candies, chocolate chips) to create a reindeer face on each cupcake.
Notes
– Ensure cupcakes are completely cooled before frosting to avoid melting the cream cheese frosting.
– If walnuts are not desired, feel free to omit or substitute with raisins.
– Get creative with the decoration: arrange the edible candy eyes, nose, and chocolate details to resemble a reindeer’s face.
– Store cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cupcake
- Calories: 280 kcal
- Sugar: 18g
- Sodium: 200mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 50mg