Easter is a time to indulge in your favourite springtime treats. Haskins has created a carrot cupcake recipe just in time for Easter, also serving as a reminder to gardeners that now is the time to begin sowing carrot seeds. Edible flowers also make a delightful finishing touch on top of the cupcakes.
Ingredients (makes 12 cupcakes)
- 150ml sunflower oil, plus a little for the tin
- 175g light muscovado sugar
- 200g self-raising flour
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 2 tsp mixed spice
- 1 orange, zested and juiced (save the juice for the syrup)
- 2 large eggs
- 50g natural yogurt
- 200g carrots, about 2 large ones, peeled and grated
For the topping:
- 50ml runny honey
- 150g mascarpone
- 100g thick natural yogurt
- 75g icing sugar, sieved
Method
- Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and oil a 12-hole muffin tin, or line it with muffin cases.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix the sugar, flour, bicarbonate of soda, mixed spice and orange zest.
- Whisk together the eggs, oil and yogurt, then stir into the dry ingredients along with the grated carrots.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared tin, or divide between the cases, if using, then bake for 20-22 mins until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.
- Turn the cakes out onto a wire rack and leave them to cool a little.
- To make the syrup, heat the honey and orange juice in a pan. Bring to the boil, then simmer for a minute until syrupy.
- Spoon a few teaspoons over each cake while still warm, then leave to cool completely.
- For the icing, mix the mascarpone, yogurt and icing sugar until just combined (if you over-mix, it will become runny).
- Use a palette or cutlery knife to swirl the icing on top of the cakes, drizzle with a little more honey.
Haskins has centres in Ferndown in Dorset, West End in Southampton and Roundstone and Snowhill in West Sussex. For more information visit www.haskins.co.uk
