The hardest part?

Grating the carrots.

But I used my food processor this time.  The grated carrots were a larger grate than I wanted but the cupcakes still turned out fine.

Actually the hardest part is not eating all of them at once!

Recipe:

2 c. flour
2 cups sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups cooking oil
3 cups grated carrots
1/2 cup walnuts (optional)

Add eggs and oil to all dry ingredients.  Beat till smooth.  Add carrots and nuts, if using.  Place in a greased 9×13 pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes.  Cool before icing.

For cupcakes: Fill cupcake pans with liners and fill 3/4 full.  Cake is dense and doesn’t rise as typical cupcakes.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

Cream cheese icing:
1 pound powdered sugar (approx. 4 cups)
8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 tsp. vanilla

Beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until smooth.  Add powdered sugar and beat until fluffy.  Ice cake or cupcakes.

For icing carrots and stems: reserve 1/4 cup icing and add orange (5 drops yellow, 1 drop red) food coloring and place in a zip bag.  Cut small hole in a corner and make carrots.  For stems: take 1 tablespoon icing and add 1-2 drops green food coloring.  Place in zip bag and pipe two stems at the top of the carrots.