Carrot Cupcakes: the root of all happiness

Some historians believe that people have been indulging on carrot cakes since the 16th century and it’s no surprise that these delicious, satisfying cakes are still being devoured today. In fact, our Lola’s carrot cupcakes are one of our best selling cupcakes and it’s not hard to see why!

With a gloriously moist sponge, spiced with cinnamon, and topped with mouth watering cream cheese icing these cakes will keep your coming back for more. But it’s fine, they’ve got carrots in them so they’re practically healthy! It’s got to be at least one of your five a day right? No? Oh well.

But what makes Lola’s carrot cupcakes really extraordinary is the special ingredient - crushed pineapple, which helps keep the cake super moist and gives it a lovely fruity tang.

Plus the decoration on these cupcakes is incredibly simple - just a sprinkling of chopped walnuts, which means that anyone can master it! If you’re an experienced baker then we recommend that you pipe on your icing, but it tastes just as good with a good dollop of cream cheese icing spread over it with a palette knife. Either way, these cakes are so delicious that they won’t be around for long so it doesn’t really matter what they look like!

Ingredients

For the cake

200g caster sugar

2 eggs

110 ml sunflower oil

1 tsp vanilla bean paste / vanilla extract

175g plain flour

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

200g shredded carrot

40g crushed pineapple

30g finely chopped walnuts

For the icing

60g butter

1 tsp vanilla bean paste / vanilla extract

200g icing sugar

400g full fat cream cheese

To decorate

Finely chopped walnuts

How to make the carrot cupcakes

1. Preheat your oven to 180ºC.
2. Get your sugar and eggs in a bowl and beat the mixture at a medium to high speed for about 1 - 2 minutes until mixture is light and fluffy.
3. Gradually add the oil and the vanilla bean paste, mixing at a low speed until the mixture is all combined.
4. Sift the flour, cinnamon, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda into a separate bowl.
5. Add these ingredients into the batter, a little at a time, beating until incorporated.
6. Next, add the grated carrot, crushed pineapple and chopped walnuts and mix until blended.

Top Tip! Careful not to over mix your cake batter as it won’t rise.

1. Divide the mixture between your muffin cases filling them until they’re just two-thirds full.
2. Bake your cupcakes in your preheated oven for about 20-25 minutes, until well risen.

Top Tip: You can tell if your cakes are done by sticking a skewer into the middle of one of the 

cakes and checking that it comes out clean.

1. Transfer your cakes to a wire rack and let them cool completely.
2. To make the cream cheese icing place your butter into a bowl and beat until soft and smooth.
3. Add the vanilla bean paste / vanilla extract and then sift in your icing sugar.
4. Get your cream cheese in there then beat the mixture on high speed for about 30 seconds, until it looks smooth and glossy.
5. Transfer your beautiful looking icing into a piping bag and pipe stars of icing onto the top of each cupcake.

Alternatively, if you’re not feeling up to piping, you could just spread the icing onto your cupcakes with a palette knife or metal spatula. 

1. Decorate each cupcake with a sprinkling of finely chopped walnuts.

There you have it! Your very own batch of delicious carrot cupcakes, looking gorgeous and tasting better. A perfect tea time treat, and great for lunchboxes too.

But, if you want to satiate your desire for carrot cupcakes without going to all the effort then get cupcakes delivered to your door by clicking here.