Before we get the 2nd part of our Economy Bites, Big Girls, Small Kitchen crossover, check out the video we made with Sixpoint Craft Brewery & The Waterfront Ale House in Brooklyn. In the video, chef Sam teaches us to make Sixpoint infused brisket & pastrami sandwiches that we'll be recreating on Economy Bites next month!
You'll also be able to get these tasty sammies at The Atlantic Antic this Sunday on Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn - just look for the Sixpoint sign!
NOW ONTO THE RECIPE!
In today's kitchen we team up with Cara, the other 1/2 of the BGSK duo to make a dessert to compliment our Fishballs from last week.
Both Daniel and I are huge carrot cake fans, so you can imagine our delight when Cara suggested we make them in cupcake form for our episode together. Usually I think desserts are a lot harder to make than savory dishes (a lot less room for error) but I felt that this recipe was surprisingly easy. The simplicity comes across in the video as well, I don't know if we've ever produced such a chill, slow paced episode. I kinda love it!
Some cupcake notes: these little treats are open to interpretation. If you're not crazy about walnuts and raisins, and you want to save a few bucks, by all means, eliminate. Also - I suggest only buying maple syrup for the icing if you're sure you'll use the rest of it at another date (pancakes, anyone?) since it's sort of expensive and not essential to making great cream cheese frosting.
I'm sad to see our Big Girls Small Kitchen collabo come to an end! I hope you enjoyed meeting Cara & Phoebe as much as we enjoyed cooking with them!
INGREDIENTS
-6 or 7 carrots, peeled and grated (about 3 cups)
-1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
-3/4 cup whole wheat flour
-1/2 tsp nutmeg
-2 tsp cinnamon
-2 tsp ground ginger
-2 tsp baking soda
-1 tsp salt
-1 cup sugar
-1 cup light or dark brown sugar
-1 cup Canola oil
-4 large eggs
-1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts (optional)
-1/2 cup raisins (optional)
icing
-8 oz. cream cheese
-12 oz. butter, softened
-1 cup powdered sugar
-3 Tbsp maple syrup (optional)
PROCEDURE
-Preheat oven to 350
-Grate carrots into a bowl and set aside.
-Mix dry ingredients (flour, wheat flour, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda and salt) in a large bowl and set aside.
-Mix sugar, dark sugar and Canola oil in a bowl. Add carrots and eggs and mix. Pour carrot mixture into dry ingredients and combine until its a batter. Add walnuts and raisins (optional).
-Butter cupcake tins and place a liner in each cup. Pour mixture into cup filling it about 3/4 the way. You should have enough for 24. Bake for 20 minutes or until brown on top. Let cool 10 minutes before icing.
-While cupcakes are cooling, make the icing. Soften butter on stove or in microwave and combine with cream cheese, powdered sugar and maple syrup (optional) in a bowl or in a food processor. Whip until very smooth. You may need to chill the frosting in the fridge for a few minutes until it gets thick and easy to spread.
-Once cupcakes are cooled and icing is thick, spread icing on cupakes and eat!
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It just occured to me I never saw Bugs eat carrot cake....hmm....more's the pity for him.
And more for me!
I like carrot cake even more than chocolate! And, of course, it is healthier, or at least I like to think that.
For instance take those 6-7 carrots, buy a $5 chicken fryer (make your own stock), add some celery, thyme, salt, pepper, garlic, onions and water, and you can make a hearty soup that'll last several days. About half the ingredients of these indulgent carrot cupcakes, and it's better for you too.
take about 4-5 ketchup packets from your favorate restaurant.
squeeze out packets and add water. mix. microwave or heat over open flame.
enjoy.