Carrot cupcakes

I’ve never had Carrot cake before, but apparently these egg free carrot cakes taste just as good as the egg version, they’re light and fluffy and go down a treat at tea parties.

Cooking time: 15-20 minutes

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Makes 24 cupcakes

The Ingredients:

For the cake

• 10oz Self raising flour
• 6oz Soft brown sugar
• ½ tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Bicarbonate of soda
• ½ pint Milk
• ¼ pint Corn oil
• 3 tbsp Golden syrup
• ½ tsp Baking soda
• ½ tsp Mixed spice
• ½ tsp Nutmeg
• ½ tsp Ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp Vanilla essence
• 1 Orange, zested
• 1 Lemon, zested
• 6oz Carrots, finely grated

For the cream cheese frosting

• 10oz cream cheese
• 5oz butter, softened 
• 4oz icing sugar

The Method:

1. Pre heat your oven to 180C Gas mark 4
2. Sift the flour, sugar and salt and make a well in the centre
3. Mix the bicarbonate of soda with a tbsp of the milk and pour in to the well
4. Add the rest of the milk along with the oil, golden syrup, baking soda, mixed spice, nutmeg, cinnamon and vanilla essence and beat together to make a batter
5. Stir in the orange zest, lemon zest and carrot until thoroughly mixed
6. Add the mixture to cupcake cases and cook in the oven for 15-20 minutes (until they look brown and bounce back when touched)
7. Remove the cakes from the oven and allow to cool whilst you make the cream cheese frosting
8. To make the frosting, sift the icing sugar in to a bowl and add the soft butter and beat well until smooth.
9. Add the cream cheese and beat until all of the ingredients are mixed well
10. Chill the frosting in the fridge for 10 minutes and then either pipe or spread the frosting on top of each cupcake. These are best kept chilled (if they last that long). I also made mini carrots out of green and orange flavoured sugar dough