Dessert: Carrot Cake Cupcakes

Recipe by Stacy Adimando Clearly the most delicious way to eat your vegetables.

This recipe includes fertility superfoods such as:

Cinnamon

Health and fertility benefits of Carrot Cake Cupcakes

Cinnamon is one of the best ingredients that someone with insulin sensitivity can eat. Half a teaspoon of cinnamon per day has been shown to be very effective at normalizing blood sugar levels. Cinnamon contains hydroxychalcone, which is thought to enhance the effects of insulin. It has also been suggested that Cinnamon prevents post-meal blood sugar spikes by slowing the gastric emptying rate - meaning that food digests slowly. (Reference: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11506060).

Ingredients

1 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
2 Sticks unsalted butter, softened
2/3 c. firmly packed light-brown sugar
1/2 c. granulated sugar
2 large eggs, preferably at room temperature
1 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
1/3 c. milk
1 1/2 c. loosely packed carrots, shredded on the small side of the box grater
Half a carrot, for garnish
Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe link in step 6)
Raw walnut halves, for garnish

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, ginger and nutmeg until combined. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and both sugars on medium-high speed, scraping down sides of the bowl as needed, until mixture is light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla and beat on medium speed until incorporated. Add milk and carrots and beat on medium-low speed until combined.
Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture in three batches, beating until each batch is just incorporated. Continue with remaining flour in two more batches. When finished, stop mixer and stir batter briefly with a rubber spatula to be sure all ingredients are incorporated.
Line two 12-cup cupcake pans with enough liners for 18 cupcakes. Fill each cup 2/3 of the way with batter (for ease, use a 3-tablespoon cookie or ice cream scoop).
Bake, rotating pans after 15 minutes, until a cake tester or wooden skewer inserted into the center of the cupcakes comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Remove and transfer to a baking rack. Let cool completely.
To serve, using a citrus zester, create 18 thin strands from remaining half carrot. Top cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting using an offset spatula or butter knife, then garnish each with walnut and carrot zest.

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