Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Salted Maple Buttercream Filling and Cream Cheese Frosting

And the rising sun greeted the carrot-y cupcake, and saw that it was good.

I have been remiss. Do you know that it's been almost a year since I posted anything? Well, I haven't left anyone out who reads this blog; I haven't really baked anything for about that long, either. My apologies, and I feel like I've been bitten by the baking bug again so I'll be making up for lost time.

You know how life happens sometimes? Well, it happened. But I had a group of people I needed to thank and one of them requested carrot cake cupcakes so I thought about it awhile and then - voila! Well, maybe it wasn't that easy, but still... 

(Yes, I take requests. Reasonable ones. I mean, if you asked me to riff on a vodka-soaked gummy bear and turn that into a cupcake I'd have to turn you down. I don't like gummy bears. Seriously, though, kids, is that really what you're doing these days? (Hi, Dina!) That just sounds soggy. Maybe I'm getting old. I haven't turned my music down yet, but that's probably around the corner. Get off my lawn!)

These are quite good, and quite rich, and not at all summer-y. This is an autumn cupcake. That doesn't mean you can't eat it in our lovely Sacramento 100-degree weather, but you won't find it refreshing. I may revisit it this fall. So file it away or don't, as you wish. 

Something else different about these cupcakes was that I had a helper in the kitchen (thanks, Kasey!), and you know what? I recommend it. If you find the right helper, that is. I got through these without feeling like I couldn't bear to look at them again, and that's new for me. So there's that tip for you.

Oh! One more apology - there is no filling picture. Life happened (again) and I washed my phone with my laundry. Got a new phone, am still figuring it out, and have probably the most boring video ever of me trying to take a photo of the filling. You don't need to see that. So just imagine the crust on the bottom and the maple-colored creamy filling. It's gooooood. And, as I've mentioned, I don't even like maple.

So shall we start the process? Let's do this thing!

~ For the crust ~

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 18 cups of standard-sized muffin tins (I used a 12-count and a 6-count) with cupcake cups. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl until the mixture resembled wet sand, adding more graham cracker crumbs if needed. Divide evenly among the cups. Press down with your fingers until there is an even layer of the crumb mixture in each cup. Bake for about 15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool. Meanwhile, make your cake batter.

~ For cupcakes ~

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. freshly-grated nutmeg
4 eggs
3 cups grated carrots (I used my food processor for this - so much easier)
2 tbsp. fresh-grated ginger
3/4 cup vegetable oil

In a large mixing bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices; set aside for now. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the eggs until the whites and yolks are fully mixed together Add in the carrots, ginger, and oil; mix that together and then add in the flour mixture. On the lowest speed stir in the flour until just combined and no flour can be seen. Divide the mixture evenly among the muffin tins. Bake for 15 - 20 minutes or until cupcake tops are no longer wet. Take out and cool in pans for 5 minutes; remove cupcakes from the tins and cool on wire racks until cooled completely.

Go ahead and take a nap now if you want. You can let the cupcakes cool and come back to this later. Sidenote: Is this not a fantastic picture? I wish I could sleep like that.

Okay, you ready? Let's get ready to fill these little monsters...

~ For the filling ~

1/2 cup butter, softened
2 - 3 cups powdered sugar
1 - 2 tsp. milk, cream, or half and half
3 tsp. maple extract (I used imitation because I've never seen anything but, but surely there is real maple extract around somewhere. Maybe in Vermont?)
1 tsp. salt

Beat the butter with an electric mixer until smooth. Add in half of the powdered sugar and mix on low speed until this is well combined. Add in 1 tsp. milk and mix that in, then add in the extract. Mix in the rest of the powdered sugar. Add in the salt and then add more to taste. Remember that it's a salted maple buttercream!

After cupcakes have cooled, cut a cone-shaped piece out of the middle of each one, trimming the bottom of the cut bit so that it forms a lid. Using a teaspoon, scoop in a bit of filling into the cupcake's cavity and then top with the lid. Repeat with the remaining cupcakes.

~ For the frosting ~

1 8-oz. package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 tsp. salt
4 - 5 cups powdered sugar

Cream cream cheese, butter, vanilla and salt with an electric mixer. Gradually add in powdered sugar until you have a frosting that is stiff enough to pipe and hold its shape (and you may need more than five cups - just keep adding until it looks right). Using a pastry bag fitted with a star tip, pipe frosting onto filled cupcakes. Finish with edible glitter if you like (I certainly did).

Make sure you keep these in the fridge, but take them out about 20 minutes or so before serving.

Makes 18 cupcakes