Carrot cupcakes
Cookbook Challenge: Week 27
Theme: Insect
Recipe: Carrot cupcakes
From: The Australian Women’s Weekly “Bake”
The theme for this week’s Cookbook Challenge is the most challenging one we’ve had yet – insect. YES INSECT! I racked my brain the whole week, trying to decide what to make.
In the end, I decided to bake something and decorate it to look like an insect. Carrot cake is one of my favourite cakes, so I decided to bake carrot cupcakes and make them into ladybirds. I made the carrot cakes on Saturday, doing so in a bit of a rush because we were heading out for dinner. I had an hour to do the baking from start to finish – but fortunately the recipe I chose was, with the help of a food processor, super quick and easy and I threw it together in 15 minutes.
Today (Sunday) I did the decorating. It was a very time consuming job – it took me nearly two hours to do six cupcakes! But I think they turned out pretty cute. ๐ My inspiration for the cupcakes was this image on flickr. Mine weren’t as polished, but it was my first time covering cupcakes with fondant (I’ve only made fondant toppers before – see here and here). If you’re interested, here’s how I made them:
To start with, I iced the cupcakes with a thin layer of lemon buttercream. I had a small amount of left over buttercream in the freezer – just enough for six cupcakes.
To colour the fondant, I used red and black gel paste food colouring.
I started off with the red fondant – this was for the body. I rolled out the fondant and then cut out circles that were about the same size as the cupcakes.
The circles of fondant were placed on top of the buttercream, and then I smoothed it down and around the buttercream with my fingers.
To make the black faces, I rolled out black fondant and cut out smaller circles. These circles were cut in half. I wet the back of one of the semi circles, and placed it at the edge of the cupcake.
I used my fingers to smooth and pull the straight edge of the black fondant down to the paper case, and cut off the corners that overlapped.
After all that, I was on the home stretch! I cut a line down the body, and then pasted on several small dots of black fondant for spots. I also pasted on some eyes and used a circle cutter to cut a smile into the face.
And – ta dah! All done! I was very pleased with the result. My biggest problem now is I can’t bear to eat them – they’re way too cute!
See previous Cookbook Challenge posts here
Update: See the round up at My Food Trail.
Carrot cupcakes
Adapted from AWW’s Bake
Makes 12
1/2 cup (125ml) vegetable oil
3 eggs
1 & 1/2 cups (225g) self raising flour
1 cup (220g) firmly packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 cups (480g) firmly packed coarsely grated carrot
3/4 cup (90g) coarsely chopped roasted almonds (the book recommends pecans, but I only had almonds)
Preheat oven to 180ยฐC. Line a 12 hole muffin pan with paper cases.
In a bowl, combine the oil, eggs, sifted flour, sugar and cinnamon. Stir in the carrot and chopped almonds. Spoon the mixture into the paper cases.
Bake for about 20-25 minutes, or until cooked. Let them stand for about 5 minutes, before placing on a wire rack to cool.
Top with your favourite frosting and to decorate as ladybirds – see above!
Celeste @ berrytravels
May 23, 2010 @ 9:29 pm
These are adorable. ADORABLE! I really really love what you did with the fondant. Amazing job!
Chanel11
May 23, 2010 @ 10:02 pm
Hahh I love your take on the insect theme…
Lisa in London
May 23, 2010 @ 10:07 pm
So CUTE!! You know I'm squealing.
Sarah
May 23, 2010 @ 10:56 pm
Oh those are super cute! Great job with the icing.
xox Sarah
mademoiselle dรฉlicieuse
May 24, 2010 @ 12:58 am
So cute! Love the stark colours especially.
OohLookBel
May 24, 2010 @ 2:57 pm
How very clever! They do similar ones at Planet Cake, with little vermicelli antennae…
imasugarjunkie
May 24, 2010 @ 3:15 pm
ohhh these are gorgeous!! Well done!
Ange
May 24, 2010 @ 6:12 pm
They look so cute! Top decorating job
yen@foodforfour
May 24, 2010 @ 8:44 pm
Too cute to eat. Fantastic job!
Maria@TheGourmetChallenge
May 24, 2010 @ 8:46 pm
how cute are they!! I especially love the half smiling bug! Great job!!
Hannah
May 24, 2010 @ 9:22 pm
Squee!! I want to take those home and cuddle them and never let anyone eat them. Absolutely gorgeous!
Cherrie Pie
May 24, 2010 @ 10:16 pm
they look so adorable! I had the same idea but I haven't had the time to make mine. Great job with yours
penny aka jeroxie
May 24, 2010 @ 10:30 pm
How cute! I wish I knew how to work with fondant…
Can't wait to see the rest of the insect creations.
Juliana
May 25, 2010 @ 5:54 am
Agnes, your cupcakes are so cute…absolutely lovely.
Agnes
May 25, 2010 @ 11:05 pm
Celeste: Thanks! ๐ Now I want to do more playing around with fondant.
Chanel: It was much better than doing something with real insects. ๐ I'm an adventurous eater, but I draw the line at insects!
LisaPisa: I could hear you squealing from Melbourne!
Sarah:
mademoiselle: gel food colouring is great for the deep colours. I always get it all over my hands though. :p
Bel: I need to buy that Planet Cake book! I've pretty much seen the whole book (when I was at a bookshop). They do fantastic cakes!
Agnes
May 25, 2010 @ 11:11 pm
Sarah: cute things taste better, right? ๐
imasugarjunkie: Thanks, I was very pleased with them ๐
Ange: thanks! It felt so wrong to eat them though!
Yen: I ate one… and I felt sorry for the poor little ladybird! Far too cute to eat. ๐
Maria: haha I love the half smiling ones too.
Hannah: I contemplated varnishing one and keeping it forever and ever. ๐
Cherrie Pie: look forward to seeing what you do for insect week. Good luck!
Penny: the first time I used fondant, I actually used playdoh to practice with. So it's just like playing with playdoh – maybe that's why I like it so much. ๐
Juliana: thank you! I want to make more now, hopefully I can find some time ๐
Conor @ Hold the Beef
May 26, 2010 @ 1:13 am
Oh god they look so HAPPY!
The photo with the black face fondant sitting on the body, before being cut, looks like a massive moustache. I'd like to see a moustachioed ladybug.
Foodessa
May 26, 2010 @ 12:02 pm
I have to make these for my nephew…I'll be his favourite aunt ever after these adorable treats.
Fantastic job!!!
Flavourful wishes, Claudia
April @ My Food Trail
May 26, 2010 @ 3:15 pm
OMG too cute!!! What a fantastic job!!
chitchatchomp@yahoo.com.au
May 27, 2010 @ 9:29 pm
Who cares that you didn't think of honey as these are gorgeous! I agree, they would have been very hard to eat with those smiling faces looking at you. Leigh
Agnes
May 28, 2010 @ 10:40 pm
Conor: If I ever make them again, I will put a moustache on one just for you!
Foodessa: You would definitely be the best aunt ever! Your nephew would love them, I'm sure!
April: hehee, thanks!
Leigh: something with honey would have been MUCH easier. And the first bite was the hardest. ๐
Hala
January 31, 2016 @ 10:54 pm
That looks really delicious