Monday, October 4, 2010

CCCakes with CCFro



A lot of popular culture I just don't get. What is the fascination with people who have no discernible talents or attributes other than a willingness to take off their clothing, get arrested, or do bizarre things on television? I stand in line at the checkout counter puzzled and amused at the celebritrash on the magazine covers and their latest rounds of rehab, divorce, and plastic surgeries.

And why does the gossip media insist on doing a weird abbreviation of people's names so that Kevin Federline is now KFed and Rob Pattinson is RPatts? If that's the way it's done, I think I'll call Lady Gaga LGag.

Would I be CBLynn? I doubt I'll ever be famous, or infamous, enough to be abbreviated. That's OK. The weight of celebrity would chafe on me. I'd be too concerned about how I look in paparazzi photos to enjoy things like carrot cupcakes and cream cheese frosting. And those are definitely things worth enjoying. Especially when the recipe is from the celebrity jailbird cupcake queen herself, MStew.

Carrot Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
- adapted from Cupcakes by Martha Stewart

1 pound carrots, peeled and finely grated
3 large eggs, room temperature
1/3 cup buttermilk
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup plain whole milk yogurt
1-1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup golden raisins
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp ground cloves


Cream Cheese Frosting

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
12 oz cream cheese, room temperature
1 lb (4 cups) confectioners' sugar, sifted
3/4 tsp pure vanilla extract


1- Preheat oven to 325 deg. F. Line standard muffin tins with 24 paper liners.

2-In a large bowl, whisk together carrots, eggs, buttermilk, sugar, oil, yogurt, and vanilla. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. Stir flour mixture into carrot mixture until well combined.

3- Divide batter evenly among prepared cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake for 23 to 28 minutes, rotating tins halfway though, until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean.

4- Place tins on wire racks to cool 10 minutes, then turn out the cupcakes onto the racks and let them cool completely. (At this point, the cupcakes can be stored overnight at room temperature, or frozen up to 2 months, in an airtight container.)

5-To make the frosting, beat the butter and cream cheese with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low. Add sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, and then vanilla, and mix until smooth and combined, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. (If not using immediately frosting can be refrigerated up to 3 days in an airtight container. Before using, bring to room temperature, and beat on low speed until smooth again.)

6- Use a small offset spatula to spread a mound of frosting on each cupcake. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

18 comments:

Charlene said...

The reason no talent people are crowned celebrities is because we stand in the grocery line and read the covers of magazines, then buy them. I turn off any talk show that starts with the discussion of psudo "celebrity" and who they are doing or not doing. It's not at all interesting and irritating to me.

Cream cheese cupcake frosting sounds much better, though since Martha moved to the Hallmark channel this season, I've not watched much. She's gone from teaching us housekeeping and cooking to discussing her rich friends.

Abby said...

I don't get it, either. All I can ever thing when I see those people act ridiculous is "oh, their poor mother." You know?

Cute post! And pretty cupcakes!

Kitchen Corner said...

Love your cream cheese frosting, smooth and creamy! Thanks for sharing, I will try out the frosting for my cakes. Cheers!

Debbie said...

Love the cupcakes by MStew!!!....I know what you mean about these celebrities...I don't understand the fascination with them. My husband will watch some of those gossip shows and I just don't get it. Such trash....

CaSaundraLeigh said...

I totally agree on your opinions about celebrities..it just plain gets old! But these carrot cake cupcakes would never get old--I've been meaning to make this recipe, you just reminded me! :-)

Katie said...

I'd never get bored of these! Carrot cake is one of my all time favourites

Valerie Harrison (bellini) said...

These are delicious CBLynn. Carrots cake is one of my all time favourites. When can I expect my dozen by Fed-Ex. Better make that 2 dozen:D

Anonymous said...

Mstew LOL!

Anonymous said...

Dear CBLynn,
I am sure liking these cupcake by Mstew. And i am quite certain her royal oddness Lgag wouldnt mind them too. She might even wear them too. LOL

daphne sy said...

carrot cake is my all time favorite. . .xoxo

LOVE YOUR SITE

Homemade Heaven said...

LOL - MStew in the hot pot? In my house you're a celebrity. When they see one of your recipes on the counter they know they are in for a good thing.

Peabody said...

It's why I am not famous...I don't want to get naked or arrested or get arrested for getting naked. :)

Melinda said...

Your CCC with CC fro look fly.

The celebrity culture is like high fashion. It will surely change with the seasons. I don't buy into it but then I am totally uncool.
But I like to think my parents were wrong about The Beatles being a passing fashion and tuneless.

Unknown said...

Hehe I loved reading your post. I tend to nickname/shorten name people a lot, so I'm guilty too :P

Zoe said...

Loves those mini carrot cakes. They are very cute.

Barbara said...

The only time I read anything about celebrities is in the check out line.
And I refuse to buy those mags too..I just look at the covers. Who cares? I'm with you!

I'm also with you on these yummy carrot carrot cupcakes!

Elle said...

Poor things...imagine having your self worth determined by people who can't be bothered to get your name right.
These cupcakes on the other hand are not poor at all...in fact they look rich and wonderful!

grace said...

lgag--ha! i guess i'd be asgrace, which is uncomfortably close to assgrace, which simply won't do. :)