I made this carrot cake recipe a few years ago, I remember liking it because it was lighter than the more traditional version with nuts and raisins.  So, when one of my wedding cake clients wanted to try carrot cake for a tasting I decided to revisit it in hopes of creating a flavorful, celebration worthy carrot cake.  It was a huge success, and I was so incredibly pleased with it! The original recipe didn’t call for nuts or raisins, but I added walnuts back in.  The frosting for the wedding cake will be cream cheese swiss buttercream, which is also lighter and has a fluffier, less cloying taste and texture than regular cream cheese frosting.  I had some left over batter and made a few little cupcakes for Bryan and I to try.  I included the recipe for the frosting I used for those, which was really yummy – softened cream cheese lightened with whip cream a little sugar and vanilla.

For those of you who have farm shares this summer, I highly recommend using some of your carrots for these perfect treats! You could also substitute parsnips for a fun, unexpected twist.  This recipe is extra exciting because you get to use the shredder attachment for the food processor, something I think might be my most favorite kitchen activity!! Also, the majority of the batter mixing is done in the food processor making it very easy.  However, if you don’t have one everything can be done by hand.  Enjoy 🙂

Carrot Cake Cloud Cupcakes

yield 12-15 large, 20 small cupcakes

1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
pinch of cloves
pinch of salt
1/2 lb carrots, shredded
3/4 cup of sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar
3/4 cup safflower oil
2 eggs at room temperature
2/3 cup toasted, chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin tins and spray papers.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt in large bowl; set aside.

In food processor fitted with large shredding disk, shred carrots (you should have about 1 1/2 cups); transfer carrots to bowl and set aside. Wipe out food processor bowl and fit with metal blade. Process granulated and brown sugars and eggs until frothy and thoroughly combined, about 20 seconds. with machine running, add oil through feed tube in steady stream.  Process until mixture is light in color and well emulsified, about 20 seconds longer.  Scrape mixture into medium bowl and fold in carrots and dry ingredients until incorporated and no streaks of flour remain.

Pour into cupcake pan and bake until toothpick or skewer inserted into center of cake comes out clean. Set timer for 10 minutes, check rotate and cooke for another 5 minutes.  Remove from pan and cool cakes on a rack.

Fluffy Cream Cheese Frosting

1 cup of heavy cream
1/2 cup cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sifted confectioner sugar
1/4 tsp of vanilla

Whip cream to stiff peaks (don’t over whip or will look curdled)
Whip cream cheese, sugar and vanilla together until smooth, fold in whip cream in two additions.
Billow onto cupcakes.