Yummiest Carrot Cupcakes

Hello hello!

SO completely glad it's Friday and it's after work...whew...made it through another week.  I told you that I wasn't going to make bars again and I like to keep my promises :-)  This post is a little healthier...by healthier, I mean there is vegetable involvement.  I know, I know...don't be mad.  You will totally want to eat this veggie...carrots.  Not in a salad or by way of crudites...but by way of cupcake...seems like a fair balance to me anyway.  This recipe is a variation on a recipe that I received from...oh let us skip that story...and just  say it's a variation on a recipe that was given to me and yes, I have lightened it up a little fat wise, but I swear to you does not take away from the flavor nor the moistness of  the cupcakes.  This can also be made in a 9 x 13 pan or 2-8 (or 9) inch pans.  But I made cupcakes so that is what I am going with.  That is my story and I am sticking to it.

Without further ado, I give to you the BEST carrot cake cupcakes with the very appropriate and equally yummy cream cheese frosting.

Line your cupcake pans;

 Prepare your carrots by cleaning and shredding in food processor;

Mix up your wet ingredients and spices;

Add your flour and mix just until incorporated;

  

Gently fold in the shredded carrots;

Scoop your batter into liners and bake;

 

After your cupcakes are baked and cooled, make your frosting.

Super simple, super yummy!

And this glorious little piece of heaven is what you end up with....sigh!

 

For the carrot cake

1 1/2 cups of sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 cup unsweetened applesauce

3 eggs

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons cinnamon

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 cups grated carrots (1 pound)

1 cup chopped walnuts (optional, but especially tasty)

For the Cream Cheese frosting

1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon lemon extract

1/2 (to 3/4) pound of powdered sugar (eyeball it)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Line your cupcake pans.
3. Mix sugar, oil, applesauce and eggs until blended.
4. Mix in remaining ingredients except the carrots until just blended.
5. Fold in the carrots (and nuts if you choose).
6. Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full.
7. Bake for 18-20 minutes. (Until toothpick comes out clean)
8. While cupcakes are make your frosting.
9. Mix butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy
10. Add vanilla and lemon extracts.
11. Slowly add powdered sugar until just mixed.
12. Frost cooled cupcakes.
13. Dig in!

 

S'mores Bars

Hello again...I hope you enjoyed my last post...I received a lot of positive feedback from the Pumpkin Caramel Butterscotch bars, I was happy to share my experiment.  It's been a busy couple of weeks and I have done a little experimenting...just a note for those who bake...cinnamon chips do not melt...they brown and eventually burn...just saying.  So that project is still in the "working stage".

So I have had so many ideas running through my head and it's a little scary...a person shouldn't lose sleep over such things.  

But anyway....so here is another bar recipe.  I promise the next post won't be a bar. :-)  

We all remember roasting marshmallows over a campfire when we were growing up and since the beginning of time...or at least since the beginning of Girl Scouts...S'mores have been a part of life.  Obviously best in the campfire setting....you can still make them in your kitchen, the possibilities are endless. I have even made them in the microwave...delish!  

These bars have all the yummy goodness you remember, right down to the melty chocolate and gooey marshmallow.

So here we go with the S'mores Bars...

Take your dry ingredients and mix with your wet ingredients.

Press dough into pan {don't forget to save some dough to crumble on top :-)}

Mix your cream cheese and marshmallow topping together and spread 'er all over!

Sprinkle the mini chocolate chips on top of that...

Then the mini marshmallows....feeling kinda mini that day I guess

Then crumble remaining dough and chocolate chips.

Bake up all that gooey goodness and here is what you get!

Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 1 box yellow cake mix
• 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1 egg
• 3 Tbsp light cream(or milk)
• 1 (8 oz) block cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 (12 oz) jar marshmallow topping
• 2 cups mini chocolate chip, divided
• 2 cups mini marshmallows

How to Make

1. Preheat oven to 350°
2. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray.
3. In a large bowl combine cake mix, graham cracker crumbs and peanut butter.
4. In a small bowl whisk the egg and the cream together and add to the cake mix mixture. Stir until combined. Set aside 3/4 cup mixture for topping.
5. Press remaining mixture into the bottom of prepared baking dish.
6. With your mixer, beat together cream cheese and marshmallow topping until smooth. Spread over the top of the crust.
7. Now evenly sprinkle 1 1/2 cup of the chocolate chips, the marshmallows and crumble remaining crust mixture on top of marshmallows, then the remaining 1/2 cup of chocolate chips on top of that. 
8. Bake for 15 minutes. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 5 minutes more. You want the marshmallows toasted not burnt.
9. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes. Transfer to refrigerator until ready to serve, at least 3 hours.