Hungree Girl: Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Rum Honey Cream Cheese Frosting

It's my mom's birthday. My mom's FAVORITE cake in the world is carrot cake. Since I'm literally home for 48 hrs and my mom is da best, I thought I'd be an extremely thoughtful daughter and whip up a batch of carrot cake cupcakes. Cupcakes are more fun, cupcakes are portion controlled (except that is when you're me and have 4 portions), and cupcakes are delicious. Carrot cake is awesome because when done right because it's sooo moist, slightly spicy, and has the best texture. When you break open a carrot cake cupcake/muffin it should be beautifully aerated, with little pockets to catch slathers of cream cheese frosting. They also rock because if you don't frost them you can toast them and smother them in butter. They get all toasty and crispy and delicious and the butter falls into the little airy crevices and make it a stunningly mouthwatering breakfast. So I set to work whipping up a batch and started following Judy Rosenberg *love her my idol* but severely tampered with it because I hate following recipes. I was feeling like amping up the classic traditional cake and replaced the raisins with dried cherries which was a great move as they added a little tart bite. When I think carrot cake, I think cream cheese frosting, and too kick it up a notch I made a honey rum cream cheese frosting that had quite the punch. They were SICKENINGLY good, if I do say so myself, and mom loved them. Baby bro JJ also ate 3 toasted for breakfast this morning so I think its safe to say he's feeling them too. So, if your looking for a great cupcake, a great breakfast bite, or something to really WOW your friends, look no further and sink in.

Carrot Cake Cupcakes (based off of Judy Rosenberg's pineapple carrot cake but very very very adapted)

Ingredients

5 large carrots, peeled and grated
1 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
1/2 cup dried cherries, chopped (NO PITS)
2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
4 large eggs

2 tbs dark molasses

2 tbs honey

Recipe: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl combine the carrots, walnuts, and cherries and set aside. In an additional bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg and set aside as well. In a bowl with a mixing attachment, combine the sugar, oil and vanilla and mix until completely blended. Scrape the bowl with a rubber spatula to make sure all the little bits are combined. Add the eggs one at a time and mix on medium speed after each addition, scraping the bowl each time. Add the molasses and honey and mix on medium speed for about 2 minutes until the batter is fluffy and light. Add the dry ingredients gradually and beat on low speed, scraping the sides of the bowl. Add the walnuts, cherries, and carrots by hand and mix thoroughly until well incorporated. Line a cupcake pan with liners or heavily grease them. Pour the batter evenly into each mold, about 3/4 of the way full. (I use an ice cream scoop to ensure even distribution). Bake in the middle rack of the oven until the top is golden brown and springs back to the touch and a tester inserted comes out clean, about 20 minutes.

Rum Honey Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened room temperature

8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1 tbs. vanilla
1/4 cup honey
2 tbs rum (you can make this stronger or less strong depending on your taste, this amount will definitely hit you and you'll taste it)
4 cups confectioners (powdered) sugar

Recipe: Combine butter and cream cheese in a bowl with mixing attachment and beat for about 2 minutes until well combined and light. On a low speed add the vanilla, honey and rum and beat for about 2 minutes. Gradually add the powdered sugar and mix on a low speed. Once all the sugar is mixed in, turn up the speed to a high medium and whip the frosting for about 2-3 minutes until it becomes light and fluffy. If the frosting is too thin, add more sugar in small batches.

Assembly: When you take the cupcakes out of the oven, let them cool in the pan. Once cooled, remove from pan and frost. MAKE sure they are totally cooled or the frosting will melt. Top cupcakes with a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar and a drizzle of honey if you desire.

And then there was the photoshoot...
this is what one portion looks like...HA if you stop at one tell me and I'll pay you with another.