Name: Carrot Walnut Cupcakes with Lemon Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients: 2 ½ cups (625 mL) grated carrot (about 2 whole carrots); 1 ½ cups (375 mL) California Walnut pieces; 1 cup (250 mL) diced pineapple, fresh or canned; 2 cups (500 mL) flour, divided; 2 tsp (10 mL) cinnamon; ½ tsp (2 mL) nutmeg; 2 tsp (10 mL) baking soda; ½ tsp (2 mL) salt; 4 eggs; 1 ½ cups (375 mL) sugar; 1 ½ cups (375 mL) vegetable oil; 1 cup (250 mL) soft unsalted butter; 6 cups (1.5 L) icing sugar; 2 lemons, zest and juice; 1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla extract

Carrot Walnut Cupcakes with Lemon Buttercream Frosting

California Walnut Commission

24 cupcakes

Satisfy everyone’s sweet tooth with delightful, delicious cupcakes. Unfrosted, these moist cupcakes are perfect for breakfast on the run or a lunch-box treat.

Ingredients

Cupcakes
- 2 ½ cups
  
  (625 mL) grated carrot (about 2 whole carrots)
- 1 ½ cups
  
  (375 mL) California Walnut pieces
- 1 cup
  
  (250 mL) diced pineapple, fresh or canned
- 2 cups
  
  (500 mL) flour, divided
- 2 tsp
  
  (10 mL) cinnamon
- ½ tsp
  
  (2 mL) nutmeg
- 2 tsp
  
  (10 mL) baking soda
- ½ tsp
  
  (2 mL) salt
- 4
  
  eggs
- 1 ½ cups
  
  (375 mL) sugar
- 1 ½ cups
  
  (375 mL) vegetable oil
Lemon Buttercream Frosting
- 1 cup
  
  (250 mL) soft unsalted butter
- 6 cups
  
  (1.5 L) icing sugar
- 2
  
  lemons, zest and juice
- 1 tsp
  
  (5 mL) vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C).
Cupcakes
1. In a large bowl, combine carrot, walnuts, pineapple and ½ cup (125 mL) flour. Mix and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, sift the remaining flour and combine with cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda and salt.
3. In a large bowl, combine eggs and sugar and beat with a hand mixer until just combined, then slowly add the vegetable oil while beating, until emulsified.
4. Fold the flour mixture into the egg batter until well combined, then stir in the carrot, walnut and pineapple mix.
5. Line cupcake tins with liners and fill with batter, filling about three-quarters full. Bake for 20 minutes or until cake tester inserted in centre comes out clean. Transfer to rack; let cool.
Lemon Buttercream Frosting
1. Combine the butter, sugar, lemon juice and zest and vanilla in a stand mixer and whip until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes.

Notes

Tip

This recipe works well as a cake. Simply pour batter into a round 10 inch (2.6 L) cake pan and place in a 350 F (180 C) oven for 1 hour or until cake tester inserted into centre comes out clean. Transfer to rack; let cool and cover with frosting (same amount as used for the cupcakes).