Carrot Cake Cupcakes

Ingredients

• Nonstick coating
  
• 1/2 cup hot water
  
• 1/2 cup dark raisins
  
• 6 1/2 ounces all-purpose flour
  
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
  
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
  
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cocoa powder
  
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  
• 4 1/2 ounces corn oil
  
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
  
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  
• 2 eggs
  
• 8 ounces carrots, shredded
  
• 2/3 cup walnuts, toasted, chopped
  
• Maple Cinnamon Pastry Cream Filling, recipe follows
  
• Cream Cheese Frosting, recipe follows
  
• Orange and green food coloring, for garnish, optional
  
• Marizpan or almond paste, for garnish, optional

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare the cupcake pans by spraying with nonstick coating and using cupcake liners.
In a small bowl, pour the hot water over the raisins to rehydrate and set aside.
In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cocoa powder and cinnamon, and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, combine the corn oil, dark brown sugar, granulated sugar, vanilla and eggs. Mix well to fully incorporate. Combine the wet and the dry ingredients, stirring to fully incorporate. Drain the raisins and squeeze out the moisture. Fold them in to the batter with the carrots and walnuts.
Scoop the batter into the prepared cupcake pans and bake until the cupcakes spring back when lightly touched with a finger, about 20 minutes. Cool.
To assemble: Core and fill the cupcakes with the Maple Cinnamon Pastry Cream Filling after they have cooled. Frost the cupcakes with the Cream Cheese Frosting using a pastry bag or offset spatula.
Optional garnish: Using orange and green food color and some marzipan or almond paste, form carrots by rolling a ball of marzipan in the palms of your hand. Use a knife to make marks in the carrots and make a small batch of greens to attach to each carrot.
Enjoy..
Hanan Alasiri