Carrot Cupcakes & Carrot Citrus Crush

Serves: 15 cupcakes | Prep: 15 min | Cook: 12 min

Ingredients:

Carrot Cupcakes:
1 1/2 cups shredded carrots (about 2-3 carrots)
1/2 cup raisins
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus 1 Tbsp
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
2 eggs
1/2 cup light brown sugar
2/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Cream Cheese Frosting:
4 oz cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup butter, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups powdered/icing sugar

Carrot Garnish:
1/2 Tbsp butter
1 carrot, peeled into long strips

Carrot Citrus Crush:
2 oz vodka
1 oz orange liqueur
2 oz carrot juice
1 oz freshly squeezed orange juice
1/2 oz freshly squeezed lime juice

Garnish:
Fresh curly parsley sprig
Orange slice

Directions:

Preheat oven 350F/180C. Line or grease two muffin trays.

In a small bowl add raisins and 1 Tbsp flour, mix well, set aside.

In a bowl mix flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, powder, and salt together.

In a large bowl stir together shredded carrots, eggs, sugar, oil, and vanilla together with a wooden spoon.  Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix, until combined. Stir in raisins. Scoop batter into the prepared muffin tins. Bake, 12-15 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcake comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.

To make the garnish heat the butter in a skillet over medium heat, add the peeled carrots, cook, 3-5 minutes, until tender. Remove and place on a paper towel lined plate, let cool.

To make the frosting add cream cheese, butter, and vanilla to a mixing bowl fitted with a paddle attachment. Blend on medium high speed, 5-7 minutes, until smooth. Lower the speed, slowly add powdered/icing sugar. Gradually increase speed and let mix, 5-7 minutes, until light and creamy. Add frosting to a piping bag with a rounded tip, pipe onto the cupcakes and garnish with the cooked carrot strips.

Carrot Citrus Crush:
In a cocktail shaker filled with ice add all cocktail ingredients. Shake vigorously and strain into a glass filled with ice. Garnish.

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