This Valentine’s has been truly special! We didn’t do anything extraordinary, it just seemed more awesome than most (well that mountain was kind of a big deal). Maybe it’s because this is our first Valentine’s as husband and wife.

I asked Mark last week what he wanted me to bake to for Valentine’s day and he said Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting. It kind of caught me off guard because that sounded pretty difficult but at the same time I was pretty giddy because 1) it was a baking challenge and 2) it means he takes my baking serious and believes I can make good stuff!

I haven’t done a recipe in a while so here is my latest creation!

CARROT CAKE CUPCAKES
(via MarthaStewart.com with minimal alterations)

Ingredients

• 1 pound medium carrots, peeled and finely grated
• 3 large eggs
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
• 1/3 cup buttermilk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup golden raisins (optional)
• 1 cup walnuts or pecans, toasted and finely chopped
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

*To toast the walnuts: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread nuts evenly on a rimmed baking sheet; toast, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, 8 to 10 minutes (watch carefully to prevent burning). Transfer sheet to a wire rack; let nuts cool completely.

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line 2 standard muffin tins with paper liners. In a bowl, whisk together carrots, eggs, sugar, oil, buttermilk, vanilla extract, and raisins and nuts if desired. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. Stir flour mixture into carrot mixture until well combined.
2. Divide batter among muffin cups, filling each 3/4 full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until testers inserted into centers come out clean, 23 to 28 minutes. Let cool in tins on wire racks, 10 minutes. Turn out cupcakes onto wire racks, and let cool completely.
3. Frost cupcakes with cream cheese frosting. (see frosting directions below)

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
(via JoyofBaking.com)

Ingredients

• 8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 3 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

Beat butter and cream cheese with a mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low. Add sugar, 1 cup at a time, and then vanilla; mix until smooth.

I believe this was actually my first time making cupcakes and I’m surprised how well they turned out. (I tried my hand out on cookies over the holidays and they just don’t seem to be my forte.) Mark wanted to eat several and they received rave reviews from my coworkers! When I made them I actually only used 1 cup of vegetable oil because the commentators had said 1 1/2 cups was too much. I think I will go with 1 1/4 cups next time to make it a bit more moist. But I definitely think I’ll be making these again!

FELIZ SAN VALENTIN!