Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Zucchini Carrot Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Almost to the end of my zucchini!  My mom recently told me about a cake she made that used up some of her zucchini.  I decided it sounded and looked really good.  So I made the cake into cupcakes and used my own version of cream cheese frosting.  And the cupcakes were really good!

DSCF6590 My mom found this recipe at Tiffany’s blog, Eat At Home.  I adapted it with different amounts of flour and sugar.

Zucchini Carrot Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting, adapted by Katrina, Baking and Boys!

2 1/4 cups (270 grams or 9 1/2 ounces) all purpose flour

1 3/4 cups (355 grams or 12 1/2 ounces) granulated sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 cup canola oil

4 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups finely grated zucchini (270 grams or 9 1/2 ounces)

1 cup finely grated carrots (80 grams or 2 3/4 ounces)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line 2 muffin tins with paper cupcake liners.  I got 20 cupcakes.  Set aside.

Add the flour, sugar, cinnamon, salt, baking powder and baking soda in a large bowl and whisk to combine.  In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the oil, eggs and vanilla until well blended.  Stir in the zucchini and carrots.  Bake for 24-26 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into one of the cupcakes comes out clean.  Cool for 5-10 minutes, then remove the cupcakes from the pan and let cool completely on a wire rack.

Frost the cupcakes.

Cream Cheese Frosting, by Katrina, Baking and Boys! (This can be doubled, but since some people around here don’t like frosting, I don’t make a full batch.)

4 ounces 1/3 less fat cream cheese, softened

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

2 cups powdered sugar (220 grams)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

pinch of salt

Cream together the cream cheese and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer.  Add the salt and vanilla and combine.  Then add the powdered sugar one cup at a time and beat well until desired consistency.  Put the frosting in a piping bag and pipe onto cupcakes if desired.  (This made enough to frost about 14 of the 20 cupcakes. 

DSCF6586 These cupcakes are perfectly moist from the zucchini and carrots and nicely spiced with the cinnamon.  But the best part is definitely the bites with the cream cheese frosting in them! ;)

16 comments:

Baking Ribbons said...

These look healthy AND tasty!
I'm always afraid to use the lower fat cream cheese in dessert recipes, but now maybe I'll try it. You must grow zucchinis....it has been a bad growing year for our garden in Minnesota. Most of our tomatoes are still green.

Granny Jacque said...

The muffins looks yummy. Glad you made them. I didn't get a bite of the cake I made as it was for Anna May's birthday. I may make another one. I wonder if you can use a yellow summer squash in place of zucchini????? I must pick 2 or 3 a day.

Shelby said...

what a pretty little cupcake and moist & yummy looking too!

Anonymous said...

I have never liked cream cheese frosting, it reminds me of melted cheesecake for some reason. LOL It sure lookds yummy though. I love the thought of having a zucchini and carrot cupcake, I am a lover of carrot cake!

Georgia Pellegrini said...

These look fantastic! Love the icing design.

Chelle B said...

These look so delicious especially with that cream cheese frosting. I want to get my hands on some zucchini to give these a try sometime. Yummy!

briarrose said...

Excellent use of zucchini. These cupcakes look lovely especially with the cream cheese swirl on top.

Kayte said...

These look great...anything without chocolate including cream cheese frosting has my immediate attention. I have all the ingredients for these and I think we need a few to pass around...thanks!

Lana @ Never Enough Thyme said...

These sound so delicious! A great way to use up the overload of zucchini in the garden right now.

Feast on the Cheap said...

Such a great way to use up all that summer zuch. And I could pretty much eat that frosting by the bowlful...

Julie said...

These look absolutely scrumptious! My boyfriend's birthday is coming up, too bad he doesn't appreciate zucchini baked goods as much as I do. When my birthday is around the bend, I'll preemptively email him a link to your recipe. I enjoy reading your blog, thanks for the post!

Delishhh said...

Wow i am impressed what you are doing with Zucchini. . .from cookies to cupcakes. Nice work!

Unknown said...

These muffinds look real nice, Katrina. Zucchini is a little tough to find here [have to go to the specialty stores], so I've absolutely no idea how it'd taste in a baked good. Looks interesting though.

Barbara Bakes said...

Such a great idea to add carrots and a cream cheese frosting. These wouldn't last long at my house.

Cindy said...

Looks like a perfect cupcake. With so many veggies I can call it breakfast!

Megan's Cookin' said...

These would lovely little cakes for breakfast! And lunch, and dinner...