I baked: Carrot cupcakes with lime mascarpone cream frosting

This is another great recipe you can do with your kids. During one of the weekends, I got together all the ingredients for carrot cake and we (the kids and I) gathered in the kitchen for a morning of baking fun.

This is the recipe that I usually usefor carrot cakebut this time I added a few extra ingredients such as orange zest and walnuts and made them as cupcakes. This time, I made a lime mascarpone-cream frosting which is much lighter than the cream cheese frosting. I love the tanginess of the lime zest and juice in the frosting. It went very well with the moist carrot cupcakes.

Carrot cupcakes with lime mascarpone-cream frosting

Baby D who hasn't even turned 2 loves giving mummy a helping hand in the kitchen. He will hold the spatula and give the batter a good mix :D (clever boy). This is an extremely kids-friendly cake. (not much mess either)

Personally, I think these are best eate! n slight ly warm (take them out of the oven and cool for 30 minutes) but they can also keep for several days in an airtight container stored in the fridge.


Carrot cupcakes with lime mascarpone-cream frosting
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 22-25 minutes
Makes 8

For the cupcake
125g self raising flour, sifted
A pinch of salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
125g soft brown sugar
2 eggs, at room temperature
120ml corn oil (or olive oil)
130g carrot, peeled and finely grated (approx. 1 medium carrot)
Zest of 1 orange
25g walnuts, chopped into small pieces
25g sultanas
1/2 tsp vanilla extract


For the lime mascarpone-cream frosting
100g mascarpone cream, softened at room temperature
25g icing sugar, sifted
50g whipping cream
Zest of 2 limes
Juice of 1 lime

1. Preheat oven to 180C. Line muffin-tray with 8 cupcake liners.

2. Place the flour, salt, ground cinnamon and nutmeg into a large bowl and stir in the brown sugar. Add the eggs and corn oil to the dry ingredients and mix well. Stir in the grated carrot, orange zest, sultanas, chopped walnuts and vanilla extract.

3. Fill the cupcake-liners to 2/3 full and then bake in the pre-heated oven for 22-25 minutes or until a skewer inserted in centre comes out clean. Allow cakes to cool for 10 minutes before frosting.

4. Meanwhile, make the frosting. Beat the whipping cream with icing sugar until stiff peaks. Add the mascarpone cheese, lime zest and juice and mix well.

5. Using a star tip nozzle, pipe the frosting on the cupcakes. Serve immediately, these carrot cupcakes are best enjoyed slightly warm.