Stuffed Carrot Cake Cupcakes

I made these amazing cupcakes for my December book club meeting/Karen's birthday. Karen's birthday was November 29, but this time of year my carrot grating time is limited. These cupcakes are a labor of love, but they are worth every shred of grated carrot. They are so moist and the fluffy filling is such a sweet surprise. I serve them cold because I love cold cream cheese icing. Make sure you have plenty of time before you decide to whip these up.

Carrot Cake Cupcakes

4 eggs
1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
2 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
3 cups grated carrots
1 cup chopped pecans (I don't use nuts in mine.)

Cream Cheese Icing

1/2 cup butter, softened
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
4 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chopped pecans (Again, I don't use nuts in mine.)

Cream Filling

1 container Cool Whip
3 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin tin with cupcake liners.

In a large bowl, beat together eggs, oil, white sugar, and 2 teaspoons vanilla. Mix in flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Stir in carrots. Fold in pecans (optional). Fill cupcake liners 3/4 of the way full.

Bake 17-19 minutes. Remove from muffin tin and allow cupcakes to cool on a wire rack.

While cupcakes are cooling, mix Cool Whip, 3 ounces of cream cheese, and 1/2 cup powdered sugar to make cream filling.

Use a pastry bag and a narrow tip to insert filling into cooled cupcakes. I like to make a triangle when I insert my filling to I can get as much filling as I can without busting my cupcake with a single squirt.

Finally, combine butter, 8 ounces cream cheese, 4 cups powdered sugar, and 1 teaspoon vanilla for cream cheese frosting. Spread liberally on cupcakes. Store in the refrigerator.

hannah

Black Bottom Cupckes

I have seen this recipe in quite a few cookbooks, but since my mom has made these cupcakes my whole life, I will contribute this recipe to my mom! I have a deep love for cream cheese. When I think about my favorite things to eat, each has cream cheese as an ingredient! When I was little I would even sneak cream cheese from the refrigerator and eat it by the spoonful. And since these chocolate cupcakes have a delicious cream cheese center - of course they're my favorite. They are so good they don't even need to be iced. And since they don't have icing, I sometimes tell myself they are really muffins so that it's okay for me to eat one (or two) for breakfast!!

My little taste tester. Don't worry - no eggs in the chocolate better!

Hannah & I have made these a few ways. I like to use food coloring to color the cream cheese filling orange for Halloween & Hannah will color coordinate her center for whatever holiday or occasion it is. I have also made these in mini muffin pans to serve as a finger food. Whatever color, whether big or small these are delicious!

For the cupcakes:
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup water
1/3 cup oil
1 T vinegar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt

For the filling:
1 (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1/8 tsp salt
1 (6 oz) pkg. mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, & salt. Stir in water, oil, vinegar, & vanilla. Spoon batter into paper-lined muffin pans 1/2 full. Combine cream cheese & sugar, creaming until light & fluffy. Add egg & salt beating well. Stir in chocolate chips. Spoon heaping spoonful into center of each cupcake. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. Makes 18 cupcakes.

Kristin

Boston Cream Cupcakes

Several years ago, I started a tradition of baking cupcakes for my friends and co-workers on their birthdays. Cupcakes are so fun because everyone gets their own special treat (and they're super easy to transport)! My cupcakes have come to be something that people look forward to on their birthdays each year. A few chosen friends are even allowed to make requests.

Boston Cream Cupcakes are always a favorite. You get the best of both worlds--a creamy vanilla filling topped with a rich chocolate ganache. Impress your friends with these delectable, yet simple, cupcakes. Be prepared to explain "how you got that filling in the middle"! (Recipe from Paula Deen)

Boston Cream Cupcakes

1 box yellow cake mix (I prefer Pillsbury)

1 (3.4 ounce) box instant vanilla pudding

1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup sour cream

Sinful Chocolate Ganache (recipe follows)

Prepare cake mix according to cupcake instructions. Allow to cool completely.

Combine pudding mix, whipping cream, confectioners' sugar, milk, and sour cream in a large bowl. Beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Spoon mixture into a pastry bag with a narrow tip. Insert tip and squeeze about 1 tablespoon of filling into each cupcake. I make a triangle of filling, rather than one squirt in the middle. This allows for more filling to be inserted without breaking your cupcake by overfilling. Spread Sinful Chocolate Ganache over each cupcake. Store in the refrigerator and serve cold.

Sinful Chocolate Ganache

6 (1 ounce) squares semisweet chocolate

3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

2 cups confectioners' sugar

Combine chocolate and cream in a medium bowl. Microwave on high in 30 second intervals, stirring between each, until chocolate is melted and smooth (about 2 minutes). Gradually whisk in confectioners' sugar until smooth. Allow mixture to cool until it is spreadable (about 30 minutes).

Hannah