Carrot, Coconut, Chai Cupcakes

Carrot, Coconut, Chai Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

https://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/carrot-coconut-chai-cupcakes • Posted by (cup)caketastrophe!

I know! Just how many C's CAN you fit into a title? OK so our friends that had a baby just a couple of months ago are coming around for dinner tonight and lately for me having guests means only one thing....an excuse to bake cupcakes! Plus I wanted a chance to try out my new silicone cupcake "papers" that I picked up for a whopping $3.99 last week. Woo!! I got this recipe off the Martha Stuart website but I kind of played around with it a little. Well enough that I feel it should be OK to write up the instructions here and rename it. Just in case any of you want the original recipe here it is. Let me just say that these turned out so good I actually felt the need to jump up and down clapping my hands with glee. The chai really makes them pop and the extra coconut gives them a really different texture. If anybody decides to try them....or even better, try both these and the original recipe please let me know. I am sure they will turn out fine. I managed to make them while half the time holding a crazy teething baby. So everybody elses chances seem pretty good. Makes 12 Cupcakes

You will need

Ingredients (cupcakes) : 1 cup Sugar 3/10 cup extra virgin Olive Oil * 2 tbsp Orange Juice ½ tsp Vanilla Extract 2 large Egg(s) (room temp) 1 tsp Baking Powder ½ tsp Baking Soda ½ tsp ground All Spice 1 tsp ground Tea Leaves ** 1 tsp Orange(s) zest ½ tsp Salt ¾ cup + 2 tbsp Plain Flour 1 ½ cup shredded Carrot(s) ½ cup chopped Walnuts 1 cup shreded Coconut *** Ingredients (frosting) : 225 g philly/ Cream Cheese ¾ cup Icing Sugar ½ tsp Vanilla

Project Budget

Time

Difficulty

Description

I know! Just how many C's CAN you fit into a title? OK so our friends that had a baby just a couple of months ago are coming around for dinner tonight and lately for me having guests means only one thing....an excuse to bake cupcakes! Plus I wanted a chance to try out my new silicone cupcake "papers" that I picked up for a whopping $3.99 last week. Woo!! I got this recipe off the Martha Stuart website but I kind of played around with it a little. Well enough that I feel it should be OK to write up the instructions here and rename it. Just in case any of you want the original recipe here it is. Let me just say that these turned out so good I actually felt the need to jump up and down clapping my hands with glee. The chai really makes them pop and the extra coconut gives them a really different texture. If anybody decides to try them....or even better, try both these and the original recipe please let me know. I am sure they will turn out fine. I managed to make them while half the time holding a crazy teething baby. So everybody elses chances seem pretty good. Makes 12 Cupcakes

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celcius and line your pan with papers.

2. In a medium to large bowl combine sugar, olive oil, orange juice, vanilla and eggs (I just used a wooden spoon for the whole recipe).

3. Mix in baking powder, baking soda, all spice, chai tea, orange zest and salt until well combined. (It is super important you watch out for lumps of powder or soda!)

4. Add flour (I sifted mine but I guess you don't have to) and work in. Then add your carrots, walnuts and coconut and mix well.

5. Divide batter evenly among papers and bake for about 25mins, or until they spring back when you lightly touch the top (look out they're sticky!). Cool Completely on a rack.

6. *I just know somebody will yell at me for this but I figured that a little bit of olive oil taste in carrot cake would be nice. Plus there is the added bonus of it being better for you. Personally, I think I was right but if you're a bit worried about using it just substitute with vegetable oil or some apple sauce.

7. **I used loose tea leaves and ground them up in a mortar and pestle.

8. ***I know I used 4 times the amount in the original recipe but that's why I added coconut to the title. If you're not a massive fan of coconut then just use 1/4 or 1/2 a cup. You won't need to change anything else if you do.

9. <b>frosting</b> In a small bowl beat your cream cheese . Then add icing sugar and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Top your cooled cupcakes with the cream cheese frosting and finish off with a couple of walnuts (or whatever takes you fancy).