I love ginger-carrot cupcakes and made some changes to the recipe since I last made them. I added the candied ginger for the first time, doubled the ginger, and doubled the cinnamon. I wanted something with a bit more bite. I am pleased with the way they came out. I can really taste the ginger compared to the last version, but its not over powering or anything. I am interested to see what tasters have to say.

Cupcakes
makes 30 cupcakes / 350 degree oven

1 cup pecans
1 pound carrots
3 large eggs
1/2 cup 1% fat buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger
1/4 cup candied ginger (purchased at Trader Joe’s)
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1. toast pecans in a 350 degree oven for 5 minutes
2. remove from the oven, let them cool, then chop coursely
3. peel, rinse, then grate carrots coursely
4. in a large bowl, combine carrots, eggs, buttermilk, vanilla, sugar, vegetable oil,
fresh ginger, and candied ginger
5. in another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon
6. fold flour mixture into the carrot mixture
7. fold in pecans
8. scoop out into cupcake pans
9. bake at 350 degree oven for ~20 minutes or unti cake tester comes out clean
10. cool in pan for 15 minutes, cool on wire rack completely

Candied Carrot Sprinkles

2 peeled carrots
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup water

1. using a zester, create carrot strips
2. in a small saucepan, combine sugar and water and bring to a boil
(brush down the sides of the saucepan with cold water)
3. add carrot curls, reduce the heat, cook curls for about 10 minutes.
4. take off the heat and let sit for about 5 minutes
5. remove carrot in clumps onto a wire grate
6. let clumps cool
7. chop and break up carrot into sprinkles

Assembly
1. transfer a tablespoon of cream cheese frosting onto each cooled cupcake (I use the cream cheese frosting recipe from the Buttercup Bakeshop book)
2. smooth out with a small pallet knife
3. top off each frosted cupcake with some candied carrot sprinkles

I am on a drink-themed cupcake fit and this is the lastest experiment. This one came out pretty good, much better than the thai iced tea. In fact, there are many fans amongst my taste-testers at work. I am hearing things like, “the cake is perfect!” and “very horchatary”.

Horchata

1 cup long grain white rice
2 cups skinless almond slivers
1 teaspoon cinnamon
6 cups water

1. wash and drain the rice
2. process rice in a food processer until fine and add to a bowl
3. add almonds and cinnamon to the rice
4. add 3 1/2 cups water and let sit overnight, covered
5. blend mixture using a blender (i had to do it in two batches)
6. add 2 1/2 cups of water and continue blending (again in two batches)
7. strain using a metal strainer
8. strain again using a double layer of cheesecloth

Cupcakes
makes 24 cupcakes / 350 degree oven

1 stick butter
1-1/2 cups sugar
2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup fresh horchata
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon
4 large egg whites

1. soften butter in the mixer on high speed
2. drizzle the sugar in with the butter and beat until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes
3. sift flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon together
4. mix the horchata and vanilla together
5. add the flour mixture and horchata mixture to the butter/sugar in 3 parts alternating between flour and horchata and beating well after each addition
6. set aside incorporated mixture
7. in a clean mixer bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form
8. fold egg whites into cake batter until incorporated
9. scoop batter into the prepared cupcake pans
10. bake in the 350 degree oven for approximately 20 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean

Frosting

2 sticks butter, soft
1/2 cup fresh horchata
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
7-8 cups confectioner’s sugar

1. soften butter in the mixer on high speed
2. sift confectioner’s sugar
3. add horchata, vanilla, and 4 cups of confectioner’s sugar to the sugar and beat until combined
4. add remainder sugar 1 cup at a time until desired consistency/sweetness is reached

Assembly

1. frost each cooled cupcake
2. sprinkle each with cinnamon

More pictures here.

I made these bad boys yet again. It’s probably the 20th time. They are simply one of my favorite non-chocolate cupcakes. “Hummingbird cake”, from what I understand, is a southern recipe. I have seen the recipe around. Martha Stewart had it in her magazine. I forget when… I got the recipe I use from the internet. I don’t remember where from as I copied it down a long time ago.

Seeing as I can’t find the recipe and all the others I have found have twice the oil, I will go ahead and reprint what I have.

Hummingbird Cupcakes
makes 24 cupcakes

3 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
3 eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1-1/2 tsp vanilla
1 8oz can crushed pineapple, with liquid
2 mashed bananas
1 cup coursely chopped pecans

1. Mix flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, salt with a whisk in a good sized bowl.
2. Beat eggs.
3. Add oil and vanilla to beaten eggs and mix until somewhat combined.
4. Add egg/oil/vanilla mixture to flour/sugar/baking soda/cinnamon/salt mixture.
5. Mix together pineapple, bananas, pecans until combined.
6. Add to the rest of ingredients and stir to combine.

Bake at 350 degrees for ~25 minutes until golden and a cake tester comes out clean. I top these off with the cream cheese frosting recipe from the Buttercup Bakeshop book.

finished product

dry, wet, and chunky