Easter is literally a couple of weeks away, most of the children break up next week but the youngest not until the week after…it’s one of those split holidays, oh joy. Anyway, I am trying to muster up some Easter enthusiasm from somewhere very deep within…I may just have to make this Pompom tail bunny garland from Mum In The Mad House to get me into the mood. Isn’t it cute! Anyway, I have made some Easter carrot cupcakes, very easy to make but they would look great at any Easter themed party.
These are very light carrot cakes, using only a small amount of grated carrot and some cinnamon. I did use a Sukrin cake mix that I was sent to make the cakes (I have however given you the conventional recipe too) The Sukrin cake mix is sugar, gluten, wheat and egg free, although I used eggs in the recipe. You have to agree the cakes have an impressive rise. The mixture is sweetened using all-natural sweetener erythritol. To be honest, the children couldn’t taste the difference however I think I must be extra sensitive because I could taste the sweetener and it left an after taste in my mouth. If you are watching your sugar and carb intake though or following a paleo diet then Sukrin mixes could be the answer for you.
The chocolate ‘eggs’ are also sugar free (the sugar strands obviously are not) I made them using Sukrin sugar free chocolate, safe for coeliacs too! Yay. This tasted great, in my opinion.
These cakes would look extra special with a huge marzipan carrot ‘planted’ into the grass…I have these fab ideas but never the time to implement them but if I did that’s what I would do. The ‘grass’ for the cakes is edible and sugar free and I bought it and the carrots from the Cake Decorating Company. So, whilst the cakes I made were sugar free, there is obviously sugar in the buttercream but I used the bare minimum to cover the cakes just enough to get the grass to stick.
Easter carrot cupcakes recipe
- 125g softened unsalted butter ( I use stork, or pure if making them dairy free)
- 125g caster sugar
- 125g self raising flour (gluten free)
- 100g grated carrot
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 2-3 tablespoons milk (replace with a dairy free milk if necessary)
- Decoration:
- 40g milk chocolate
- Sprinkles
- 70g very soft butter (I used a dairy free spread)
- 100g icing sugar (approx)
- 30g edible green grass
- 12 royal icing carrots
- Preheat oven to 200ΒΊC/gas mark 6
- Put all the ingredients except for the milk into a food processor and blitz until smooth. Add the milk down the funnel whilst pulsing to make a soft dropping consistency.
- Stir in the carrot.
- Easy Peasy!!
- If doing in the traditional way, cream the butter and sugar, add the cinnamon and then the eggs one at a time adding a spoonful of flour each time. Fold in the remainder of the flour, then add the milk.
- Divide the mixture between 12 cupcake cases
- Bake for 15-20 minutes until cooked and golden.
- Allow to cool completely on a wire rack
- Whilst the cakes are cooking melt the chocolate in a bowl over a barely simmering pan of water.
- If you draw some egg shapes on a piece of baking parchment this helps keep them to a similar size although my shaky hands meant there was still discrepancies in mine.Turn the paper over so you can see the shapes through the paper.
- Put the melted chocolate in an icing bag (or a sandwich bag), snip off the end and pour onto the parchment paper to make egg shapes.
- Cover the chocolate with sprinkles, if using and put the tray in the fridge until the chocolate is set hard.
- Put the butter into a large bowl and whisk until soft, gradually whisk in the icing sugar until you have a thick consistency. You may need a little more, or a little less icing sugar.
- Cover the cupcakes in the icing, enough to act as a sticky surface for the green grass to adhere to.
- Press the green grass onto the icing and finish with a chocolate egg and a carrot.
- Eat.
these are adorable! love the details like the little carrot, Wilf would love to make these! x
These look delicious and the kids would love it
They look perfect. Love the idea of green grass, very Easter like π
these look super fab have been looking for some easter baking to do
These looks so cute! I m also loving the green “grass” sprinkles so effective!
Jess
owlcrazymummy.blogspot.co.uk
I love your cup cakes and I especially love carrot cake.These cupcakes are beautifully decorated and look gorgeous.
I love carrot cake an never thought of making cupcakes – these look fab
Those look good, and I love the light touch of carrot and cinnamon!
So cute. I love a seasonal cupcake. The nest material looks great.
ooh yummy they look great and very seasonal!
These look so good! We have a little picnic planned and these would go lovely!
oh wow these look fantastic! .. we love cupcakes π
Oh these look adorable! So much colour! Think I may just attempt them!!
Yum these sound delicious and I love how colourful and fun they are.
They look fantastic, what a great idea! xx
The cakes look amazing – you’re very clever. My kids have different Easter holidays too – it’s such a pain!
I love this I am going to make these during the holidays with my kids x
wwow…So much effort put into your carrot cakes. They look amazing.
i really love carrot cake so these would be something i would love
I love the idea of an Easter tea
Your cakes look devine, where do you get the grass from? I’m soon going to start getting into Easter, but in France it hasn’t really begun yet. My local shop only put out their eggs this morning…!
How sweet! Loving the ‘grass’ on top of them.
Where is your grass spinkles from – I NEED SOME!
There is a link in the post Jen. x
These cakes look awesome. I love carrot cakes and the edible grass is genius! Yum yum! x
These look so cute, they would be perfect for an Easter tea or picnic.
Thank you! π