These delightful carrot cake cupcakes are infused with the richness of sour cream and a medley of warm spices. Their sweetness is perfectly balanced, and when topped with luscious cream cheese frosting, they become a delectable dessert treat that's just right for indulgence.
Ingredients:
Cupcakes:
2 cups of all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon of ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons of baking soda
2 teaspoons of baking powder
½ teaspoon of ground allspice
½ teaspoon of salt
½ teaspoon of ground nutmeg
⅛ teaspoon of ground cloves
1 ½ cups of dark brown sugar
¾ cup of sour cream
½ cup of white sugar
½ cup of vegetable oil
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
3 cups of freshly grated carrots
1 cup of chopped pecans
Frosting:
1 (8 ounce) package of cream cheese, softened
½ cup of unsalted butter, softened
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
2 teaspoons of lemon juice
2 cups of confectioners' sugar, or to taste
Instructions:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and line 18 standard muffin cups with paper liners.
In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, allspice, salt, nutmeg, and cloves.
In another bowl, mix together the brown sugar, sour cream, white sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla until the mixture is smooth.
Combine the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients, stirring until just combined. Then, gently stir in the grated carrots and fold in the chopped pecans.
Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups.
Bake in the preheated oven for about 17 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Allow the cupcakes to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely for about 20 minutes.
While the cupcakes are cooling, use an electric mixer to beat the cream cheese, softened butter, vanilla extract, and lemon juice until smooth. Gradually add the confectioners' sugar, mixing until the desired level of sweetness and smoothness is achieved.
Once the cupcakes are completely cooled, spread the frosting onto them.
Cook's Note: You have the option to include cloves and pecans in the cupcake batter, depending on your preference.
