Cupcake of the Month - Carrot Cake with White Chocolate Icing

Carrot Cake Cupcakes with White Chocolate Icing were my cupcake of choice for the month of March. I found them in a Taste of the South magazine and decided they sounded simply scrumptious - and I was right!!! They were relatively easy to make and quick too! 

Cupcake Ingredients : 

1/3 C. unsalted butter, softened

1 C. sugar

2 eggs

1/2 t. vanilla extract

1 C. flour

2 t. baking powder

1/4 t. baking soda

1/8 t. ground cinnamon

1/8 t. ground cloves

1/3 C. milk

1/3 C. grated carrot

1 t. fresh orange zest

Preheat oven to 325*. Line a 12 serving muffin pan with paper linings. In a mixing bowl, beat butter & sugar at med. speed till fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each egg. Add vanilla, beat well. In another bowl sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon & cloves. Add dry ingredients alternately with milk to butter mixture, being careful not to overmix. Fold in carrot & orange zest. Divide batter evenly among lined muffin cups, about 2/3 full. Bake 15 - 18 min. Cool then frost.

Icing Ingredients : 

1 - 8oz. pkg cream cheese, softened

2 T. butter, softened

1 C. powdered sugar

4 oz. white chocolate

In a mixing bowl beat cream cheese, butter & sugar @ med. speed till creamy. Melt white chocolate in microwave for 30 second intervals till melted. Stir till smooth. Add melted chocolate to cream cheese mixture and beat well. Ice cupcakes. Garnish with grated or curled white chocolate.

** To add a little zing to your cupcakes the recipe called for 1t. rum extract. I made 2 batches of icing and the kids liked the icing without the rum but the adults liked the icing with the rum extract. Just food for thought - it depends on your tastes. I also used grated chocolate instead of curled as the top picture from the magazine showed. 

Wishing you peace, love and a little pixie dust,

-Kendall-