Recipe: Cream cheese frosted carrot cupcakes

These delicious cupcakes are popular in my adult and child classes. For children, I substitute the walnuts for the same quantity of sultanas. Custard powder might seem a strange ingredient to use in icing, but I find it gives a hint of vanilla without being overpowering, which can be the case with vanilla extract. I also love custard.
Makes 18

Ingredients

● 225g self-raising flour
● 1 tsp baking powder
● 1½ tsp ground cinnamon
● ½ ground ginger
● ¼ tsp salt
● 180g grated carrot
● 4 medium eggs
● 1 tsp vanilla extract
● 50g light brown sugar
● 180g golden caster sugar
● 250ml vegetable oil
● 50g walnuts, chopped

For the cream cheese frosting
● 300g cream cheese
● 100g butter, soft
● 200g icing sugar
● 1 dsp custard powder
● 1 tbsp milk

For the decoration
● White fondant icing
● Green and orange food colouring
● 25g walnuts

Method

● Preheat oven to 180°C. Line a muffin tin with muffin cups.
● Sift together the flour, sugar, salt and spices in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs, add the oil, vanilla extract and grated carrots
● Add the wet ingredients to the dry mixture. Mix well but do not over beat
● Add the nuts.
● Pour the batter into the prepared muffin cups.
● Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until just firm to the touch
● Remove from the oven, wait five minutes then cool on a wire rack
● For the icing, dissolve the custard powder in the milk, then beat with the butter and cheese in a large bowl using a hand held mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on a medium speed until smooth - about two minutes.
● Stop, scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula, and with the mixer on a low speed, gradually add the icing sugar for about 1-2 minutes until light, fluffy and creamy.
● When the cakes are cool spread the frosting on with a knife.
● Make your carrot or vegetable decorations.
● Enjoy.

Cordon Bleu-trained Lisa Roukin is a cookery teacher. Visit www.cookwithlisa.com for more information and for her instructions on how to make the fondant carrots