Gingerbread Man

Shredded Coconut

Coconut and Toffee Brittle

Toffee Brittle

I'm not too keen on carrots, but I do love carrot cake. I decided to adapt a recipe called "Carrot Cake III" from allrecipes.com and turn them into cupcakes. Since my family members don't enjoy overly sweetened cakes, I used 1/4 cup less sugar than asked for and it still came out pretty sweet.

I also frosted the cupcakes with a delicious "Cinnamon Coffee Frosting" from allrecipes.com. The cinnamon in the frosting really brings out the delicious fall spices within the cupcakes while the coffee deepens the aroma and overall flavor. Just for fun, I decorated them with homemade gingerbread men, shredded coconuts and toffee brittle.

Carrot Cupcakes
yield: about 18 small cupcakes

Ingredients:
2 eggs
1/2 cup and 2 tbsp vegetable oil
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1-1/2 cups grated carrots
1/2 cup walnuts or pecans

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Set up cupcake pan.
2. In a large bowl, beat together eggs, oil, sugar and vanilla extract. Mix in flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Stir in grated carrots. Pour into each cupcake mold.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcakes comes out clean. Let cool entirely before frosting.


Cinnamon Coffee Frosting:

Ingredients:
1 tsp ground coffee
2 tbsp hot milk
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 pinch salt
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup butter, softened
1-1/2 cup confectioner's sugar

Directions:
1. Stir the ground coffee into the hot milk and set aside.
2. Beat the butter in a medium bowl until smooth. Blend in cinnamon, salt, vanilla extract.
3. Remove ground coffee from the milk by straining.
4. Alternately beat in the confectioner's sugar and the milk into the butter mixture.

Enjoy with coffee!