Phil Vickery's Easter cupcakes
If you need a break from the chocolate this weekend, Phil’s got an alternative which will satisfy your sweet tooth.
He’s in the kitchen with his deliciously easy method for making traditional carrot cake cupcakes.
Easter carrot cupcakes
Makes 12
Ingredients
175g self raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 level tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 level tsp mixed spice or cinnamon
140g light Muscovado or soft brown sugar
100ml sunflower oil
3 medium eggs
175g carrots, coarsely grated and squeezed out really well
1-2 tbsp milk, optional
Cream cheese frosting
150g soft cream cheese full fat, drained
75g soft butter
300g icing sugar
Use Easter decorations to top - mini chocolates, sprinkles etc.
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C gas 4.
2. Line a 12 hole muffin tin with large cupcake cases or muffin cases.
3. Weigh all the ingredients carefully and have them ready at room temperature.
4. Sieve the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and spice together evenly.
5. Place the sugar into a large bowl and using a hand-held electric whisk, add the oil and then the eggs, one at a time, whisking. Stir in the carrots, and then fold in the sifted dry ingredients. Add the milk to loosen and soften the mixture. Divide the mixture into 12 cases in the muffin tin; about three quarters full.
6. Bake on the centre shelf in the oven for about 25 -30 minutes. The cakes are done when the centre springs back if you press lightly with a finger. Remove the cakes from the oven and let them cool on a rack. Remove them from the tin to cool, or the bases will become wet. Decorate when cold.
7. To make the cream cheese frosting, sieve the icing sugar first. Beat half the cream cheese with half the icing sugar and the butter together. Add the remaining cream cheese, and sieved icing sugar, plus vanilla and then whisk until light and fluffy. Add a little water if needed until smooth and creamy. You can add a touch of cinnamon, orange zest or chopped stem ginger if you like too.
8. To decorate the cupcakes, fill a disposable piping bag, fitted with a large star nozzle (or simply snip off the end after filling). Start at the outside edge, piping round the edge of the cake in a spiral towards the centre. Pull up quickly to finish the swirl. Add some Easter sprinkles and decorations. Keep the cakes chilled in the refrigerator after icing.