Beatings, beatings, beatings
My birthday was last Sunday, and my sister’s was on Friday, which means last weekend was a birthday extravaganza, filled with grilled steaks and twice-baked potatoes, brownie pie, baked brie, fruit salad spiked with fried goat cheese, Belgian waffles, a picnic in the park, and a wedge of chocolate cake so uncompromising I know it’s still sitting, like the Lincoln Memorial, in one of my arteries.
Such gluttony, mere days after “The Biggest Loser” finale! Beatings, beatings, beatings.
This morning, I was back to the breakfast of the penitent: high-fiber cereal, 1% milk, and shame. But then I remembered this week’s Tuesdays with Dorie challenge, Bill’s Big Carrot Cake. And out came the butter, the sugar, and the cream cheese.
Oh, well. Everything in moderation. That’s why I turned Bill’s Big Carrot Cake into cupcakes. Portion-control and DENIAL.
Bill’s Big Carrot Cake
Adapted from Dorie Greenspan’s Baking: From My Home to Yours
For the cake:
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 3 cups grated carrots
- 1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans
- 1 cup shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened)
- ½ cup moist, plump raisins (dark or golden) or dried cranberries
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 cup canola oil
- 4 large eggs
For the frosting:
- 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 stick ( 8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 pound or 3 and ¾ cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice or ½ teaspoon pure lemon extract
- ½ cup shredded coconut (optional)
- Finely chopped toasted nuts and/or toasted shredded coconut (optional)
Getting ready: Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds, and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter and flour three 9-x-2-inch round cake pans. Put two pans on one baking sheet and one on another.
To make the cake: Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. In another bowl, stir together the carrots, chopped nuts, coconut, and raisins.
Working with a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the sugar and oil together on a medium speed until smooth. Add the eggs one by one. Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture, mixing only until the dry ingredients disappear. Gently mix the chunky ingredients. Divide the batter among the baking pans.
Bake for 40-50 minutes, rotating the pans at the midway point. The cakes will have just started to come away from the sides of the pans. Transfer the cakes to cooling racks and cool for about 5 minutes, then run a knife around the sides of the cakes and unmold them. Invert and cool to room temperature right side up.
The cakes can be wrapped airtight and kept at room temperature overnight or frozen for up to 2 months.
To make the frosting: Working with a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter together until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the sugar and continue to beat until the frosting is velvety smooth. Beat in the lemon juice or extract.
If you’d like coconut in the filling, scoop about half of the frosting and stir the coconut into this position.
To assemble the cake: Put one layer top side up on a cardboard cake round or a cake plate protected by strips of wax or parchment paper. If you added coconut to the frosting, use half to generously cover the first layer (or generously cover with plain frosting). Use an offset spatula or a spoon to smooth the frosting all the way to the edges of the layer. Top with the second layer, this time placing the cake top side down, and frost with the remainder of the coconut frosting or plain frosting. Top with the last layer, right side up, and frost the top–and the sides-of the cake. Finish the top with swirls of frosting. If you want to top the cake with toasted nuts or coconut, sprinkle them on now while the frosting is soft.
ooooh…. your cupkakes look divine with the pillow of frosting on top.
your cupcakes look so moist and yummy! love the big puffy frosting top!
Looks delightful… especially the cloud of frosting.
I could just lick my screen when I see your cupcake!
p.s. Any chance of getting an invite to your next family gathering, it sounds like you folks know how to eat! ;-)
Those look perfect, great job! The frosting looks divine.
“Portion control - and denial” LOVE IT :) And it looks so incredibly moist - awesome job!
Oh do I understand those words, portion control and denial. I am really BAD about the denial part. I am giving the rest of the cake away today! Cupcakes are a good idea.
I want to take a nap in the frosting of your cupcake! It looks so pillowy and soft! Great job!
Cupcakes are great for portion control! i made mine that way too. Its so much easier to give away as well. You can’t exactly give away a 9″ cake that has a slice taken out of it already =)
THREE 9×2″ pans! This cake must be gigantic! That frosting is the perfect off-white, eggshell color. How many (and what size) muffin tins did you use?
Beautiful photographs! Your lighting looks perfect and makes the frosting look so super delicious.
Haha! Your frosting looks extra creamy!
Elizabeth: I used two regular muffin pans, so I wound up with 24 cupcakes.
This is a good recipe for making substitutions, too. You can take out part of the carrots and add an equal amount of pineapple. Trade raisins for dried cranberries or walnuts for pecans. It’s not very finicky.
Denial - I know it well! Awesome looking cupcakes!
They look beautiful! So much frosting, delicious, delicious frosting! :)
Your cupcakes look beautiful! Mine didn’t turn out nearly as well. You didn’t have any sinking issues?
Cupcakes are great for portion control. Unfortunately I am discovering I am a bit of a glutton! Your cupcakes look fabulously delicious and have me wanting it all over again!
Portion control? What’s that? So much to learn…
Your cupcakes look great, by the way!
I love this post…portion control & denial…SO TRUE!!
I am all about cupcake portion control denial. LMAO. Love the cupcakes. Great job!
Clara @ I♥food4thought
mmmm…i would throw the portion control thing out the window by eating four.
That frosting looks divine! I bet it was delicious too! Great job!
that is the fluffiest, most beautiful frosting!! great job!
Love the portion control! That’s why I sent them to work with the hubs!
Cupcake looks delicious and beautifully frosted too.
What a beautiful cupcake! That frosting looks amazing!
Wow–I love the texture of your frosting! I thought it was piped marshmallow. Looks fantastic!
I love, love, love your blog!! :) And such cute cupcakes!!
Your cupcake looks amazing! I am all for portion control - it’s the control part I have problems with.
I love the peak in your frosting! Happy birthday! This weekly gluttony is killing me too!
Your party is making my mouth water, and your cupcakes look delightful!
Thanks for your comment on my blog - I never imagined someone actually reading it. Your cupcakes are a great idea. On the subject of denial I gave the whole cake to the teachers at the school where I work for a coffee break treat!
Happy Belated Birthday! Lovely cupcakes, the frosting looks like it could be a pillow!
LOVE how perfect your frosting looks!
And, Happy Birthday To You!
Sounds like good gluttony though!
Happy belated birthday!
I think it was Mae West who pronounced that too much of a good thing is wonderful. :) That’s how I approach portion control in my moments of denial.
Your little cupcake looks so dreamy with it’s cloud of frosting. Yummy!