Apple Carrot Cup Cakes with Zesty Lemon Icing

Everybody loves a cup cake.  These Apple Carrot Cup Cakes are delicious and wholesome and the Zesty Lemon Icing is a treat.

Pretty and delicious...

Yesterday, an old school friend of mine called in for a visit with her two gorgeous boys.  They have been living in New York for some time but are contemplating the move back to Australia.  I think being closer to family and the need for more space (we all know how much space little boys require!) might be motivating them.

It’s funny how children can completely change your priorities and your lifestyle…family becomes more important and you find yourself socialising with them…and enjoying it!  We discover that ‘having it all’ actually means ‘doing it all’ and living simply is so much more rewarding.  Good friendships are valued and nurtured through support, love and a fair trade in child care.  We find out we will do anything for our kids to be happy and healthy…even if it means making a few sacrifices.

Watching my friends two little “New Yorkers’ play in my backyard with their new Aussie mates was delightful.  Kids are kids around the world.  We had a lovely afternoon catching up on news, eating cup cakes and drinking champagne (us, not the kids!).

I really love this recipe because not only are these cup cakes moist and light and just sweet enough, they are also dairy free and a little lighter on the sugar and oil than some traditional carrot cake recipes.  Give them a go…they are delicious as an afternoon treat.

Aternoon Tea, anyone?

Apple Carrot Cup Cakes 

From Karen Fischer’s Carrot Cake Recipe in Healthy Family, Happy Family.

Makes 8

What you need:

1 cup wholemeal plain flour

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 tsp bi-carb soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup Rice Bran Oil

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups (about 3 medium carrots) carrot, grated

1 large green apple, peeled and grated

What to do:

Pre heat your oven to 150 degrees celcius.  Line a muffin tin with paper cup cake cases.

Combine flour, sugar, bi-carb, baking powder and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl.  Stir in the eggs, oil and vanilla and beat well.  Add in the carrot and apple and mix through.

Spoon the mixture evenly into the cup cake cases and bake for 25-30 minutes.  The cup cakes will be firm to touch and a skewer inserted will come out clean when they are ready.  Cool completely on a wire rack before icing.

Zesty Lemon Icing:

1 cup Pure Icing Sugar

1 tsp butter (leave this out for totally dairy free)

1 – 2 tbsp lemon juice

1-2 tsp lemon zest

Mix all ingredients together until you have a firm icing mixture.  Use a spatula to spread even amounts of the icing over the cupcakes.  Decorate with a walnut if you so desire.

Enjoy as morning tea, afternoon tea or a late night snack.  They keep for a couple of days in the fridge and can be put into lunch boxes as a special treat if there are any left!

Happy Eating!

mamacino x

 

 

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