Carrot and Orange Cupcakes with Orange Brown Sugar Buttercream

So right now I am in the middle of sorting out my job.  It's been frustrating but at last we seem to be getting there.  It should mean that I'll be properly employed as a supply teacher in time for the start of the winter term.  I've already got some days lined up too, I just need to make sure I'm on the register.  I should have been, and I have done work based on that should have been, but I've stopped temporarily until it is properly sorted.  Don't want any legal repercussions happening if something goes wrong.

But, as I said, I have done some supply work.  The other week I was invited back to cover a class at the school I did my probation year in.  It was nice seeing everyone again and I was excited because there was going to be a bake sale.  Since I wasn't going to be working the day before, I figured I would bake something to take in.  I wanted something that felt a bit autumn-y and involved orange in some way.  I was originally going to do chocolate and orange but ended up changing to carrot and orange.  The vegetables made it feel more appropriate to the season.  Adding brown sugar to the buttercream was a random decision that I thought I would try.  It apparently works well with vegetable cakes.  I had to make the recipe for that up with a little trial and error but it worked.

Well, these never made it to the bake sale.  The staff paid for and ate them all at break time!  I was rather amused and very flattered.  It is nice when your work is appreciated.  They were very complimentary too.  They are rather refreshing thanks to the orange, and the addition of orange in the cake means it melds together well with the buttercream.  I made them again the following week for the Hubby and his family and they were also scoffed rather quickly.  His Mum had two helpings of cake with ice cream she liked them so much!  I've also been asked to make a large version as a birthday cake for Friday.

Recipe - Makes 12 large cupcakes
 

Cakes - adapted from Mary Berry's Baking Bible : 

• Zest of 1 large orange
• 150g/5oz butter
• 150g/5oz light muscovado sugar 
• 175g/6oz grated carrot
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 200g/7oz self-raising flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp ground mixed spice
• 1 tbsp orange juice

Orange and Brown Sugar Buttercream:

• 100g/3.5oz butter
• 60g/2oz brown sugar
• 225g/8oz icing sugar
• Juice of 1 orange
• Orange food colouring (optional)
• Zest of 1 orange (for decorating)

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4 and line a 12 hole muffin tin with large cupcake cases.
2. Put all the ingredients for the cake except the orange juice into a mixing bowl and beat together until well blended and smooth.
3. Add the tablespoon of orange juice and mix.
4. Split the mixture evenly between the cases.
5. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until cakes are risen and springy, and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
6. Remove from the tray and leave to cool whilst you make the buttercream.
7. Beat the butter in a bowl until it is smooth and creamy.
8. Add the icing sugar, brown sugar and half the orange juice and beat together to incorporate.
9. Add the rest of the orange juice gradually, mixing after each addition until you get an icing which is smooth, holds its shape but still pipeable.  If you make it too runny, firm it up with a bit of extra icing sugar.  If adding colouring, add a few drops at this stage and mix in until evenly coloured.
10. Put the buttercream into a piping bag fitted with a large, round nozzle.
11. When cakes are cool, pipe a swirl onto each , starting on the outside and working in.
12. Grate the zest of the orange over the buttercream to decorate.

Carrot Cake Whoopie Pies with Cinnamon Filling

So last week the game my fiancé was for going to see his friends was cancelled.  This meant he didn't take the cakes I made to Dundee.  He was not too upset by that part, because it meant he got to eat two thirds of them (I took some into work with me).  But I felt a bit bad about them missing out on cakes and because I wouldn't usually make them this week due to working Monday.  So I caved to my own feelings and whipped up something for him to take this week.  I'm a big softie apparently.

Last week I also acquired some new books for my cookbook collection.  The shop I work in sells books (among other things) and we have loads of good deals on.  We're also getting a small period of extra staff discount so I was taking advantage of it.  One of the books I snapped up was The Hummingbird Bakery: Cake Days.  It is quite a nice book and it's where today's recipe comes from.  I found it whilst flicking through and thought my fiancé would enjoy them (I always base what I make for him and his friends primarily on what he likes).  They were based on carrot cake, which he likes, and has a cinnamon filling.  It was also for something I had never made before: whoopie pies.  It was certainly interesting.  And really I should read recipes all the way through because otherwise I start mixing up timings.  I was finishing off the filling at midnight last night and really I needed to let it set for 30 minutes before using it but I wanted to go to bed.  So I just put it in as it was and then put the whole cakes into the fridge.  Next time I'll do it the right way around.  

As for the final result, I have no idea what a whoopie pie should feel like so I don't know if I was successful...I admit I was expecting something more biscuit like but the book said cake so I think I am at least on the right lines.  Taste wise they were apparently very yummy and well received and all gone by the end of the night.

Recipe - adapted from The Hummingbird Bakery: Cake Days

Makes 8-10 

Sponge:

• 1 large egg
• 150g/5.5oz caster sugar
• 125g/4.5oz plain yoghurt
• 25ml/1fl.oz milk
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 75g/2.5oz unsalted butter
• 275g/10oz plain flour
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
• 100g/3.5oz carrot

Filling:

• 170g/6oz unsalted butter
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 280g/10oz icing sugar
• 175g/6oz vanilla marshmallow fluff (I made it from the recipe I used here)

1. Melt the butter in a small saucepan and then set aside.
2. Whisk the egg and the sugar together in a large bowl until pale and fluffy.
3. In a jug, mix together the yoghurt, milk and vanilla.
4. Pour into the whisked eggs, followed by the melted butter and mix to combine.
5. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, ground spices, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and sea salt.
6. Add half to the egg and yoghurt mixture and beat in until just incorporated.  Repeat with the second half.
7. Peel and grate the carrot. 
8. Put into a sieve and press down to drain out any liquid.
9. Add the carrot to the batter and stir in (if using an electric whisk or mixer up until this point, do this by hand) until it is spread evenly throughout the mixture.
10. Put the batter in the fridge to cool and set for 30-40 minutes.
11. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 170°C/325°/Gas Mark 3 and line 2-3 baking trays with greaseproof paper.
12. Once the batter is cool, spoon small mounds of butter onto the trays.  Make sure you have even numbers of mounds since each pair makes a pie.  The mounds should be about 3-5cm/1.25-2inches in diameter and spaced well apart (at least 2.5cm/1inch) because they will spread out when cooking.
13. Bake for 10-15 minutes.  They should be lightly golden all over and will spring back when you touch them.
14. Remove and transfer to a wire rack to cool. 
15. Whilst the cakes cool, make the marshmallow fluff (if not already done so) and then make the filling.
16. Mix together the butter, icing sugar and ground cinnamon until the butter and sugar combine together.  
17. Add the marshmallow fluff and mix until mixture is light and fluffy.
18. Put the filling in the fridge for half and hour.
19. When sponges are cold, it is time to fill them.  Spread 1.5 tablespoons of filling mixture on the flat side of one of the cakes then place a second one on top, with the flat side touching the filling, to make a sandwich.  Press together gently.
20. Repeat until all pies are sandwiches together.