To the list of calamities I didn’t foresee in 2020, including a pandemic, lock downs, and violent crackdowns on mass protests, I definitely wasn’t planning to add unemployment. And yet, here I am. Or should I say, “here we are” as this is not at all just a “me” problem.
It wasn’t really a surprise, given that I was working in the travel industry and most people aren’t really using that at the moment! Even so, I suddenly found myself with all this free time added to my already pandemic-shrunken life and at a complete loss with what to do with myself.
There are no cafes to frequent during slow hours, or museums to remember to visit, or even movies to go see. Instead of a mid-week matinee of Wonder Woman 1984, movie theaters are closed, and I’m spending my days trying to decide which yoga pants to wear and which mask to don for my socially-distanced daily walk. It’s riveting stuff.
For all the times I used to joke that I just wished someone would pay me to stay home and bake, I now want to scream at the universe, “This isn’t what I meant!” But, to fill the time, I make myself live out some of that stupid fantasy. I keep telling myself, you will regret not taking advantage of this! I bought a 12-pound bag of flour, 4 pounds of sugar, yeast, and tons of butter, and I’m just baking my way through the blog backlog on my phone that I’ve ignored for the past couple of years.
Key lime pie, donuts, cinnamon swirl bread, cookies, I have become a one-woman bakery. I cracked open a patisserie cookbook, so I also turn out amateur renditions of vanilla tarts and fraisier cakes. Despite what sunny picture that might paint on Instagram, sometimes it feels like I’m putting all this stress and anxiety into my oven to exorcise it from myself. I have an endless supply, so I just bake more.
Once a week, I walk half of whatever I’ve baked the mile and a half to my friends’ apartment, where I drop off my bakery output for others to enjoy. That actually feels good, and productive!
That’s how these mini carrot cupcakes came to be, just one of the many baking projects I’ve tackled in the past few weeks. And honestly, these brought a smile to my face. Nothing is that bad when you have a tray of 36, cute, mini cakes staring up at you like little frosted soldiers. Rainbow sprinkles can actually do a lot to cheer you up!
The recipe for these cuties is based on Stella Parks’ carrot cake recipe from her book, which I've really been getting into these past few weeks (as I type this I have a stomach ache from snacking on a few too many of her graham crackers, which I burned, and still can’t stop eating). I first made the carrot cake recipe last year into a jokey half birthday cake, and immediately knew it would be great for fun cupcakes. To get the minis, I scaled everything waaaay down, a quarter recipe makes 36 of these! I topped them with her cream cheese frosting too, which I discovered basically turns into no-bake cheesecake when it chills, so don’t skip it!
Mini Carrot Cupcakes with Cheesecake Frosting
Makes 36 mini cupcakes. Carrot cake recipe and frosting recipe adapted from Stella Parks.
For the Frosting:
4 oz milk
1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
1/3 cup plus 2 tsp sugar
1/2 tbs corn starch
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
2/3 cup (6 oz) cream cheese, softened
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
2 tsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
For the cupcakes:
3 1/2 oz pecan halves (3/4 cup plus 1/8 cup)
1/2 lb carrots, shredded
1 stick unsalted butter
1/2 cup plus 2 tbs all purpose flour
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup lightly packed light brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tbs baking powder
scant 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tbs vanilla extract
1 egg plus 1 egg yolk (or 2 medium eggs)
Make the frosting: Add the milk and vanilla bean to a small pot on medium heat and bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat and steep, covered, for 30 minutes (or in the fridge overnight if you want to make ahead).
Return the milk to simmering and whisk together the sugar and cornstarch in a bowl, then add the eggs and whisk. Remove the vanilla bean from the milk, scrape out the seeds and add them to the milk, then temper the eggs by adding the milk a bit at a time, whisking continuously. Add the eggs mixture back to the pot over medium heat and whisk continuously, until the mixture thickens and begins to bubble slowly, about 3 minutes. Once the mixture bubbles, whisk another 2 minutes (no less!) then remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.
Pour the custard into a container and cover with plastic wrap pressed against the surface. Refrigerate until cool, but not chilled. This will go faster if you use a bigger container and spread the custard across a larger surface area.
To finish the frosting, add the butter and the cream cheese to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat for about 5 minutes on medium speed until well-combined, light and fluffy. Stir the cooled pudding until smooth and creamy and add to the mixer a spoonful at a time, beating on medium speed. Add in the lemon juice and beat about a minute more, until completely smooth. Set aside until ready to use. If you are making farther ahead, you can refrigerate, covered, and then rewhip after bringing the frosting back to room temp.
Make the cupcakes: toast the pecans. Preheat oven to 350 and toast the nuts for 10 minutes on a baking sheet, then cool completely. Keep an eye on them to make sure they don’t burn, checking around the eight minute mark . Chop roughly, then set aside to cool completely.
In a pot over medium low heat, melt the butter, then increase the heat to medium and simmer until the butter goes quiet and smells nutty. Pour into a glass measuring cup and set aside.
In a bowl, sift together the all purpose and whole wheat flours. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, add the sugars, spices, baking powder, salt, baking soda, vanilla and eggs and whisk on medium for 5 minutes until increased in volume and thick, then reduce speed to low and pour in the melted butter. Add the flours and whisk on low until well-combined, then, using a spatula, fold the carrots and pecans into the mixture, scraping down the sides of the bowl to make sure everything is fully combined.
Using a small cookie scoop, scoop the mixture into a mini muffin tin lined with paper liners. Bake for 10-12 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining batter.
Once cupcakes are completely cool, pipe or spoon desired amount of frosting onto the cupcakes and decorate as you like (sprinkles and chopped pecans are my favorites). Serve immediately or, to really get the cheesecake vibe from the frosting, chill a bit first! Try not to eat them all at once!