Carrot Cake with Spiced Cream Cheese Frosting

I made a small carrot cake for a get together at my house and used the extra batter for cupcakes. A lot of people tell me I'm strange because of this, but, I don't really like cake. I often will make a dessert and serve it and people ask, "Aren't you going to try it?" And I almost always say no. It's a funny thing to be a baker (and a teenager) without much of a sweet tooth. To me, baking is a lot more about the process. I like coming up with flavor combos and designing the look of whatever it is I make more than I actually enjoy eating it. This is not to say I don't have food weaknesses, believe me, I do. Sugar just isn't it.





I've been making a lot of cupcakes lately, and planning them, too. If you're ever in Seattle, I strongly suggest that you visit Trophy Cupcakes. They are the best cupcakes you can buy in Seattle (in my opinion). I worked at Trophy in 2008, when I was 15. I got really inspired by their productivity and creativity. They combine beautiful visual presentation with cake that actually tastes good. There is so much bad cake out there. If anyone can combine form and function as well as Trophy, then they are on the road to success.

Carrot Cake

4 eggs
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
4 tablespoons butter, melted
1/8 cup fresh orange juice
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
3 cups grated carrot

Preheat oven to 350 F.
Whisk together eggs, both sugars, melted butter, orange juice, and vanilla extract.
In a large bowl, sift flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg, and mix thoroughly.
With either a grater or a food processor, grate until you have 3 cups of shredded carrot.
Fold egg mixture into the dry ingredients, just until mixed, then add carrots. Mix until fully incorporated.
For cupcakes, line a muffin tin with paper liners and bake for 16-18 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean. For a 5" springform cake, divide evenly into pans and line the bottom with parchment. For a 6" cake, divide batter evenly between to pans, and bake for 28-30 minutes, until a tester comes out clean. Let cool for at least 1 hour before slicing off the dome of each cake.

Spiced Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Combine cream cheese and butter in a mixer until smooth. Add powdered sugar gradually, alternating with vanilla extract. Add spices. Transfer frosting to a piping bag and frost cakes/cupcakes.