Carrot Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Icing & Toasted Pecans

I don't eat a lot of sweets these days, but when I do, I want it to be worth it. 

These carrot cupcakes are. I had to share the recipe!

Cupcake ingredients:

1 and 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

3/4 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/2 cup oil (I use Bertolli extra light olive oil)

1 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1/3 unsweetened applesauce

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 and 1/2 cups grated carrots 

(To save time, I buy the prepackaged carrot match sticks 

and throw them in my food processor for a few minutes. It helps moisten them.)

Cream Cheese Frosting:

8 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature

1/2 unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

3 cups confectioners' sugar

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/8 tsp salt

Toasted Pecans: for topping the frosting:

Lay 48 pecans on a baking sheet and toast for 5 or 6 minutes in an oven set to 350 degrees.

Directions for cupcakes: Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg together in a large bowl. Set aside. Whisk the oil, brown sugar, white sugar, eggs, applesauce, and vanilla together until combined, and then whisk in the carrots. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and whisk together until combined. 

Fill your muffin tins about 3/4 full. Bake about 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool. Make frosting. 

 

Directions for frosting:

In a large bowl beat cream cheese and butter together until smooth and creamy. Add confectioners' sugar, vanilla, and salt. Beat on low speed until combined and then high speed for 2 minutes. 

Frost cupcakes when cooled and add toasted pecans on top. 

Enjoy!

LaRae Completes Her Doctorate Degree at Oxford University

The years do fly. The months come and go. Days pass. We change. Relationships change. We experience, birth, childhood, teenage years, young adulthood, singleness, marriage, aging, sickness, death... But our Creator is constant in His word and through His presence in our lives. How grateful I am for the hope His Word brings and the comfort His presence gives. 

I started this blog in 2007. While home-schooling our two girls, I shared a lot. But once they were adults, I became much quieter about their lives, for I knew it was their choice to share what they wanted to share with the world. 

I may come back to blogging again someday, but I am extremely busy doing other things. I got permission to share a final educational goal our LaRae met this past Friday. She passed her Viva at Oxford University and will be graduating with her Doctorate degree. She remains in England with her husband, Matt. What a blessing he is to our family. God is amazing and good. It is so worth placing your life in His hands, the One who is ever constant and The Source of deep joy. 

With grateful heart,

Delectable Gluten-Free Dark Chocolate Chip and Pecan Cookie Recipe

2 Cups Gluten Free Flour 

1/2 Cup Cocoa

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 salt

1 Cup butter, softened but not melted

1.5 Cups Coconut Sugar - or to taste. I use a bit less than this.

1 tsp vanilla

2 eggs

12 oz. Dark Chocolate Chips or Chunks

(I like these from Aldi. I use the full bag and enough from a second bag to make 12 oz.)

1 Cup chopped pecans (or more if you like. I do.)

Heat oven to 375 F. 

Stir together flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. 

Beat butter & coconut sugar until very creamy.

Let it set for a few minutes, beat again.

This helps the sugar to dissolve for a smoother cookie texture.

Add vanilla.

Add eggs, one at a time and beat well.

Gradually add flour mixture. 

Add chips and then nuts and drop on a cookie sheet using a #16 scoop.

I like them big for the best texture. 

Bake for 11 minutes.

Enjoy! Everybody at my house likes these! Even those who don't normally choose Gluten-Free options. 

Our Happiest 2020 Event

So much has happened this year! What a year! The happiest news is that our dear LaRae became Mrs. Matthew Cherukara! She and Matt, her dear friend and fellow Oxford Doctoral student (grad now), who co-lead a Bible study with her at their church in Oxford, England, were married in Oxford on July 20th! 

I love this picture of them and Matt's parents, Tom and Diana. (Thanks, Rick, for the photo!) 

Because of COVID, we could not attend their wedding which was originally planned to take place here, and they could not be married here since Matt is not a U.S. citizen. We watched it online and focused on LaRae and Matt's joy. We were and are so happy for them.

If you'd like to see their marriage blessing ceremony at the church, here is the link. It's a long story, but due to COVID complications, Matt and LaRae had to go to Gibraltar to get the legal paperwork for their marriage. This video is their sacred service in their Oxford church, St. Ebbe's.