Mini Carrot Cake Cupcakes

Hey Hey and Happy Hump Day everyone! Today I wanted to bring you one of my family's favorite recipes. I've mentioned on here before that I'm from a big family. Big families=eating at home a lot! Growing up my parents were always making these huge meals for the seven kids and now there's numerous in-laws and grandkids added in. So needless to say, they are pretty darn amazing when it comes to cooking.

There are some things my parents make that no one in the world can even come close to duplicating! They make these "Everything Brownies" that have all kinds of yummy sweets in them...the recipe is literally never the same. They just throw in goodness until they are happy and they are always so delicious. They make this cheesy enchilada casserole that everyone completely devours! I mean I think I've had dreams about it it's that good. Another huge favorite when the family gets together is my Dad's (should be) famous carrot cake. Being from a big family, birthdays are done a little different. On your birthday you get to pick what is served for dinner, no matter how weird (one year I did tacos and mashed potatoes), and you get to pick your own cake (I don't like cake all that much so I do the Everything Brownies). My Dad's carrot cake is requested more than anything else.

So as I was walking through my local Meijer the other day I came across these:

 Please excuse my fluffy little photo bomber! That's my puppy Zen...he wanted to say hi.

Isn't he the cutest little pup you've ever seen?!?! I'm pretty much obsessed with him! Anyway, so when I saw these sprinkles I was instantly reminded of my Dad's carrot cake and just had to buy them. Since I'm a big fan of keeping family recipes strictly in the family, I won't be sharing my Dad's recipe with you today, but I will share my own recipe. Here is my version of the ever popular carrot cake!

 

I wanted to make these mini because 1: I love carrot cake and was afraid I'd eat the whole cake and 2: see number 1.

Ingredients:

For Cupcakes:

1 Cup flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp nutmeg

2 eggs

1/2 Cup sugar

1/2 Cup brown sugar, packed

1/2 Cup+ 2 Tbsp vegetable oil

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 Cups grated carrots

1/2 Cup crushed pecans

For Icing:

2 Cups powdered sugar

1/4 Cup butter, softened

4 oz cream cheese, softened

1 tsp vanilla

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg in a medium bowl and set aside. Line your mini muffin pan with whatever liners you want to use.

In your mixer cream together the eggs, both sugars, vegetable oil and the vanilla. Once the eggs are fully incorporated, add in the dry ingredients. Then remove the bowl from the mixer and add in the carrots with a spoon. Do the same for the pecans. This is one of those recipes where if you mix the batter too much, the cake will sink in the middle, so make sure to stop mixing as soon as all the ingredients are mixed together. Spoon into cupcake liners until about 3/4 full. Cook for 15-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Wait until they are cooled before putting on the icing. I got 36 mini cupcakes out of this recipe.

To make the icing:
Combine all ingredients in your mixer until smooth. Put in a piping bag and top the cooled cupcakes with tons of frosting. Add the sprinkles and dive in!


Need a mixer? This is the one I use...in red!


Don't have a mini muffin pan? This one is my favorite!


Don't forget the piping bags!


So what are your favorite family dishes? Have any fun birthday traditions? I'd love to hear them!

Thanks for stopping by!

**I linked up to cornerstone confessions, coastal charm, cedar hill farmhouse, between naps on the porch, huckleberry love, diyhshp, serenity now, the country cook, tidy mom, kitchen fun with my 3 sons, simple living eating, bloom designs, the self sufficient homeacre, miz helens country cottage