Luscious Carrot & Cardamom Cupcakes

Those of you who follow me on Twitter would know that Pete and I recently visited Bali for the first time and as such have been rather busy of late. We have been itching to get back into the kitchen.

 Enter Carrot & Cardamom Cupcakes.


I found this recipe in a cookbook of mine titled ‘Cupcakes’ by Susannah Blake and after checking in with the Cookbook Challenge to see how far I had fallen behind I knew this was the perfect recipe. You see it combines the last two cookbook challenge themes: ‘cup’ and ‘spice’. Perfect.

Firstly, please don’t judge me for combining the two challenges into one, it just had to be done. I was too far behind.

Now, this recipe is super easy and the cupcakes are just divine! My mum called them ‘Adult cupcakes’ as they aren’t overly sweet and the flavours are suited to a more discerning palate given the addition of ginger and cardamom. That said, they are really moreish and I’m sure kids will still love them. The mascarpone icing really adds a little extra oomph! And everybody loves a cream cheese icing, right?

Here is the recipe, hope you enjoy them as much as we did.

Carrot & Cardamom Cupcakes


Ingredients
100g soft brown sugar
160ml sunflower oil ( I used canola as I didn’t have sunflower)
2 eggs
Grated zest of 1 orange
Seeds from 5 cardamom pods, crushed
½ tsp ground ginger
200g self-raising flour
2 carrots, grated ( about 150g grated carrot)
60g walnuts or pecan nuts, roughly chopped

To decorate
150g mascarpone
Finely grated zest of 1 orange
1 ½ tsps. lemon juice
50 g icing sugar, sifted

Method
Preheat the oven to 180C (350F or Gas 4), then line the muffin tin with paper cases

Put the sugar in a bowl and break up using the back of a fork, then beat in the oil and eggs. Stir in the orange zest, crushed cardamom seeds and ginger, then sift the flour into the mixture and fold in, followed by the carrots and nuts.

Spoon the mixture into the paper cases and bake for about 20 minutes until risen and a skewer  inserted in the centre comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

To decorate, beat the mascarpone, orange zest, lemon juice and icing sugar together in a bowl and spread over the cupcakes.




Enjoy xx

Comments

  1. hehe yes i especially love cream cheese icing!

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  2. Lovely cupcakes! And I am always dying to get back into the kitchen after a holiday too :P

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  3. Delicious cupcakes. Thanks for sharing!

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  4. These look and sound amazing, my sort of cupcakes!

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  5. Yummy cupcakes...Carrits and cardamoms make a great combo...we use this combo to make an Indian dessert called gajar ka halwa! Your recipe is perfect and the pic is droolworthy!

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  6. I like the fact that they are not so sweet and ginger is always good .... with everything :P

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  7. judge you for combining two challenges? I admire it! and of course everyone loves carrot cake with cream cheese icing - sounds delicious and I love your photos

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  8. WOW these cupcakes look soo delicious!! I love the orange zest on top, gorgeous! Loving your blog and so glad to be your newest follower :) Feel free to check out the giveaway going on over at my blog!

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  9. Thanks everyone :) Glad you all enjoyed the post. More cupcake recipes coming soon x

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  10. I adore cardamom so these cupcakes sound really delicious!

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