I ran out to the grocery store for one thing and ended up with an entire list. That's how it always works, you know. "I'm running to get butter!" leads to me getting texts that say things like, "Could you grab cat litter, too?"
Cat litter leads to dog treats leads to lunch meat leads to milk and before you know it, the words "Carrot Cake" are staring at me.
So I made carrot cake.
Apparently, it was all Alexis' idea. She has been trying to think of foods we can make for Easter. It's a short game of random association to go from Easter to bunnies to carrots to carrot cake, so I guess that makes carrot cake an Easter food. I'm not going to argue with an excuse to eat carrot cake. EVER.
Technically I made Carrot Cake Cupcakes, obviously, but that's only because I love carrot cake a little too much. I would have eaten an entire carrot cake in one sitting. Making cupcakes makes it possible to unload a dozen or so on coworkers, leaving me to pig out on half as much.
Until I make another batch, that is.
This recipe is adapted from here.
Carrot Cake Cupcakes
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
3 large eggs
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup buttermilk (I don't keep buttermilk on hand, so I used 3/4 cup skim milk plus 1 teaspoon lemon juice -- put them in a cup together and let them sit for at least one minute. The milk will curdle and will work just fine as a substitute.)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups finely grated carrots (I used baby carrots, but any carrots will work.)
1 8-oz can crushed pineapple (Drain off the excess juice, but don't stress about it. Just get that stuff at the top of the can.)
1 cup chopped pecans
Note: There are no raisins in this recipe because RAISINS DO NOT BELONG IN CARROT CAKE. Ahem. ;-)
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place cupcake liners in your pans. This recipe makes about 2 1/2 dozen cupcakes, so plan accordingly.
2. Stir together flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a medium bowl.
3. Use an electric mixer to combine the eggs, sugar, vegetable oil, milk, and vanilla extract at low speed in a separate large bowl.
4. Add flour mixture to your large bowl. Mix at low speed until everything is happy.
5. Fold in carrots, pineapple, and pecans.
6. Use a measuring cup to scoop cake mix into the cupcake liners. This cake doesn't rise very much, so fill the cupcake liners about 3/4 full.
7. Bake at 350 degrees for 22 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean when you stab it into a cupcake.
8. Allow to cool.
9. Ice with a cream cheese icing. This one is perfect for the job, but double the vanilla extract just for fun.