White and Dark Chocolate Chunk Cookies

I'm not sure what it is, but I've noticed lately that the desserts I gravitate toward are those where I don't have to choose between my favorite flavors - chocolate and vanilla. I don't want to choose. I want both.

These cookies definitely fall under that category. The pictures are deceiving because they look like they might be really big cookies, but they're not. They're actually only about 2 1/2 inches across, which compared to the enormous sizes of most of the cookies I make, these are delightfully diminutive. 

Their small stature not withstanding, they are chock-full of chocolately goodness of both the bittersweet variety and white chocolate. For both chocolates I used Callebaut because the quality of the chocolate will make a difference here.  You could probably still have a good cookie if you use some chocolate chips and white chocolate chips, but you wouldn't end up with the huge pockets and chunks of chocolate, which is really one of the main attractions of this cookie.

The other thing I love about this recipe is actually that it is a make ahead kind of dough. You will end up with two 'logs' of cookie dough, stashed in your refrigerator or freezer, that you can slice as needed and bake up a whole batch, or just a few cookies at a time and prolong the enjoyment. Nothing makes me happier on a hard day than knowing that I can bake up some cookies in a few minutes with no effort on my part. (Especially useful after days spent shuttling sick kids to doctors, hospitals and pharmacies - OY! I am SO over Winter!)

White and Dark Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Adapted from Wolfgang Puck Makes It Easy

Printable Version

Makes about 5 dozen cookies

6 oz bittersweet chocolate, cut into 1/4-inch chunks

4 oz white chocolate, cut into 1/4-inch chunks

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon sea salt

8 tablespoons (1 stick unsalted butter, cold, cut into tablespoons)

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar

1 large egg

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Note: This dough needs to chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours and up to one week, so plan ahead.

In a medium sized bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside. In the bowl of a standing mixer with paddle attachment, cream the butter pieces, still a bit cold, until fluffy and pale yellow, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and paddle and add the sugars while continuing to beat until smooth, another 2 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla on low till combined. Still on low, gradually add the flour mixture and beat until just incorporated.  Add the chocolate chunks and mix them into the dough.

Place a piece of parchment paper or wax paper on a clean work surface. Use a spatula or scoop to scoop out one half of the dough. Form it into a log about 2-inches in diameter. Roll the log in the paper, then roll that in plastic wrap or foil. Repeat with the second half of the dough on another piece of parchment or wax paper. Wrap the logs tightly and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to one week.  You can also stash the dough in your freezer for up to a month (just allow to thaw slightly before trying to slice and bake).

To bake the cookies, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F with a rack in the lower portion of the oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Cut the logs, using a serrated knife, into 1/4 to 1/3-inch thick slices. Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheet about 1 inch apart. If the slices come apart a bit when you are slicing them, just press the dough bake into a ‘slice’ shape (not into a ball).  Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes. They are done when they are golden around the edges and bottom. Remove the cookies from the oven and cool on racks. Store airtight. 

Note: To bake more than one sheet at a time, just rotate the sheets, front to back, top to bottom halfway through the baking time. I prefer to only slice a few cookies as needed and bake them fresh when we want a treat.

FFwD: Michel Rostang's Chocolate Mousse Cake

Aidan was the biggest fan of this week's French Fridays with Dorie recipe for Michel Rostang's Chocolate Mousse Cake.  He wanted me to tell you that these were "totally awesome, so yummy, so yummy."  Like cold, brownies that are creamy and light like ice cream.  Direct quote from the boy's mouth.

I loved it also, I mean really, what's not to love. We all know about my deep and abiding love of chocolate so the fact that I loved it too shouldn't come as a surprise.  I wasn't entirely sure that I actually whipped the eggs correctly - in fact I think I over beat them... again... what else is new!  That said, it still turned out great.  

We went for the bake, chill, bake, chill method which Dorie mentions in the book as her favorite way to eat this cake.  I haven't tried the other ways, but I really liked it this way.  

I didn't change the recipe at all, but I didn't have an 8-inch spring form pan either, so I did use a 9-inch instead which is why mine looks a little thinner than the picture in the book.  I think ours is possibly a layered a little differently as well as far as the thickness of the two separately baked layers goes. The top of our cake was fairly thin and very crackly.  I think, no matter what you do to this cake, bottom line, its going to be good.

For more chocolate mousse cake madness, head on over to the French Fridays with Dorie site and see how the others fared this week.

TWD: White Chocolate Brownies with Raspberry Coulis

I am a project collector. I take on too many things at once and should really learn to not spread myself so thin. I know all this, and yet, I don't seem to be able to stop myself. Why?

I guess to a certain extent, I thrive on the energy of accomplishing the things I set out to do. Unfortunately, the flip side of that is being a perfectionist who is forced to underperform and let slide too many things each day because, although I said a while back I was trying to find a way to fit more hours into the day, it just isn't happening. So, until I learn how to stop spreading my time out so thinly, I'll just keep trying to juggle the best I can. I hope you'll continue to bear with me as I have some important things I need to tell you all about but just can't seem to find the right time or the right way to say it. It will be soon though, because the lack of communication on my part is driving me nuts. My most sincere thanks to you for still coming here and visiting, even though I've been strangely out of touch lately. I promise to shed some light on that all soon and am sure you'll all understand. UPDATE: Please visit my new blog Sweet and Simple and read the start of my explanation about what is happening in our life. I am finally no longer going to be strangely silent. Love you guys!

Speaking of things that were spread thin recently (like that ridiculous segway?) what about the meringue on this week's White Chocolate Brownies for Tuesdays with Dorie? I know several people mentioned they had decided their brownies were going nekkid, but I chose to just stick to the recipe and see what they turned out like. I've never made any type of brownie that had white chocolate, ground almonds, fresh raspberries and then meringue spread on top of the unbaked batter - very unique, and therefore, I wanted to see what they were meant to be like.

The White Chocolate Brownies were chosen by Marthe of Culinary Delights, but I have to give a little shout-out to Ms. Clara who has been waiting **oh so patiently** for someone to finally choose this recipe :) Actually, I was really excited too and we really enjoyed them.

I made the full batch to take to a family BBQ where they were pretty much devoured. I was concerned when making the recipe due to the fact that so many people were having trouble getting them to bake all the way through. I think I ended up baking mine for a good 10 minutes extra and the middle portions were still quite gooey. I'm still not sure what that was all about or how to fix it, but I've decided that next time (like our host, Marthe) I will probably do cupcake sized portions and not have to worry so much about the gooey-ness.

I think I would also like to try a version with ground hazelnuts instead of the almonds, but the almond meal was really wonderful in it. I went ahead and made the raspberry coulis like Dorie suggests for serving on the side, but frankly, they didn't really need it. Overall, it was very different and fun to make, they were delicious and I'll definitely make them again some time.

Be sure to check out the Tuesdays with Dorie blogroll to see how the others fared this week!

Giving Thanks - Pies and Tarts for All!

Thank you for checking in on me! We are doing pretty well here and are just plugging along with the pregnancy. Energy levels have been pathetically low - thus the lack of new ideas to share - but I am working on a few things that I will announce very soon (hint - some giveaways just in time for the Holiday season!). I'm so grateful to you all for continuing to visit my humble little blog and spend some time with me. It really means the world to me and I look forward to what you have to say every day! Thanks so much for always hanging in there with me - even when things are sloooow!

As Thanksgiving is only a week away, I thought now would be a good time to do a quick roundup of my favorite pies and tarts that I've made here on this blog. Below you'll find something that should suit most everyone's taste at your Thanksgiving table - from fruits and cream pies to decadent chocolate tarts and pumpkin pie with a twist. Happy pie making!

Fruit Pies, Tarts & Turnovers

Peach Pie

Flaky Apple Turnovers (recipe here)

Blueberry Turnovers

French Pear Tart (recipe here)

Bakewell Tart

Cream Pies & Tarts

Light Banana Cream Pie

Banana Cream Pie (recipe here)

Tartest Lemon Tart (recipe here)

Chocolate Pies & Tarts

Chocolate Tartlets

Chocolate Cream Tart (recipe here)

Tarte Noir

Chocolate Chess Pie

Chocolate Peanut Butter Tart

Nut Pies

Pumpkin Pecan Pie (recipe here)

Caramel Cashew Creme Brulee Tartlets

TWD: Applesauce Spice Bars

Tuesdays with Dorie is brought to us this week by Karen at Something Sweet by Karen. I made these bars last week to serve along with the Brownie Buttons at our open house. I wasn't there for the open house, but there were hardly any goodies left when we got home, so I'd say they were a hit.

The changes I made to the original recipe were fairly minimal - I browned the butter and used pecans. I also used a Fuji apple because it was what I had on hand, and left out the raisins because I didn't have any on hand. My toddler really loved these, but wasn't as big of a fan of the nuts in them. I would most likely made these again, but may try making them without the nuts and just add some more apple or something instead - or maybe cinnamon or toffee chips for something a little different!

All in all, we really enjoyed these (the glaze was of course the best part for me :)

Make sure to check the TWD blogroll for lots more apple-y goodness!

Not much of an update on the preggers front here at this point. Still sick, still tired. Still job searching and still being stressed out (but trying not to be). Anyway, I don't really want to dwell on it too much today, but I did want to say that I'm so grateful to you all for being here and for your support! I really hope to get a bit more back into the swing of things soon! I have several things that I've made when I've felt up to it that I want to share with you, so hopefully the energy to get the posts done and think of something even remotely inspired to say will start sparking in my brain soon.

Love you all! Thanks so much!!

TWD: Banana Babycakes with Lemon Icing

Tuesdays with Dorie this week is brought to us by Mary, The Food Librarian, who chose the Classic Banana Bundt Cake. I was so happy when I saw this was her choice this week because I have been waiting, and waiting for someone to choose it! I made the bundt cake last year sometime and it was by far the best banana cake I've ever had. I loved the lemony icing on it as well.

This time I decided to make myself some banana babycakes and they were just as heavenly and good as I remember. This cake is moist, tender, light, fluffy and flavorful. It has a wonderful banana flavor and isn't too sweet. The tang of the lemon frosting is a really lovely accent.

As some of you already know, we have another reason around our house to think in baby sized portions - I am **surprise** pregnant again and expecting baby number 3. I'm due next March, which frankly, with my track record means who-in-the-heck-knows when I may have this baby. (Five days late the first time, 7 1/2 weeks early the second).

While we are both very happy about another addition to our family, it did come as quite a shock and surprise. We were 'preventing' another pregnancy and let's face it, I'm no fertile-myrtle (it took 2 years of trying to get pregnant with both other pregnancies). So, since I had my doctor's appointment to explore my permanent options all scheduled with my doctor, all we can think is that this was just meant to be and we have another little family member waiting to join us.

I won't lie and say that my initial reaction was positive. There. I said it. This is a very mixed up feeling. While this baby is very, very wanted... this pregnancy was not. I am sick. Ill. Exhausted. In short - a total train wreck. Sadly, this is the condition (only worsening) that I spend my entire pregnancies in. So, while most are giving us glad tidings, that was not my initial response. I absolutely freaked out. Complete and total panic. All I thought was - "I can't do this again!!" The thought of going through another pregnancy so sick, then having it end in another NICU experience due to HELLP's Syndrome (which I will more than likely have again) absolutely terrifies me. Completely. Most of the time I am keeping the panic in check... but not lately.

While I am trying to keep it together and keep life on an even keel, fate is not helping matters AT ALL. My short-lived zen was rudely destroyed this past Friday when I was also laid off from my job - basically the only job I had any hope of holding down (no pun with my sickness intended, but there you go) during this pregnancy and the long recovery that will come after it. (I was working from home doing marketing for a financial planning firm). Basically, the company I work for answers to another company above them who has decided to in effect create their own marketing department, tell the agents they must use that department, and therefore inadvertently obliterate my job. Awesome.

My point, my lovely friends is this. I don't know what the heck I'm going to do, but I'm not giving up on my happy place here. No matter what. I may not be posting as much since it is really tough to get in the kitchen right now, but I will be here as much as I can and don't want to lose this too. I may not be as happy or positive as I've tried hard to be in the past, but I don't think any of you will begrudge me that.

The outpouring of support I've received from this community already has been amazing and uplifting, so please, keep coming back. I love you all!

TWD: Vanilla Bean Ice Cream Profiteroles with Hot Fudge Sauce

Lynne of Cafe LynnyLu decided on Vanilla Ice Cream for this week's Tuesdays with Dorie recipe. I wasn't sure if I was going to try to make this because a few weeks ago, when we made the Honey Peach Ice Cream, my ice cream maker pretty much died on me. The motor itself is fine, but the bowl leaked out most of the freezing liquid. I decided to give it one last shot and see if it could make it. The ice cream maker is now officially 'dead' (the bowl anyway). It was only slightly churned and somewhat runny, so the texture wasn't as creamy as it could have been. The vanilla bean was nicely prominent in the flavor of the ice cream and the custard itself wasn't difficult to make.

I decided to make profiteroles out of the ice cream. I used the choux pastry recipe from the Daring Baker Eclair challenge a while back. It is delicious and fairly easy to work with. I used Dorie's recipe for Hot Fudge Sauce from the back of the book and it was easy and delicious as well.

Make sure to check the Tuesdays with Dorie blogroll to see everyone's ice cream variations this week!

Cream Puff Dough / Pâte à Choux

Source Pierre Herme

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Divide the oven into thirds by positioning the racks in the upper and lower half of the oven. Line two baking sheets with waxed or parchment paper.
2. Fill a large pastry bag fitted with a 2/3 (2cm) plain tip nozzle with the warm cream puff dough. Pipe the dough onto the baking sheets in 1-inch rounds. Leave about 2 inches (5 cm) space in between each dough round to allow them room to puff. The dough should give you enough to pipe 30 puffs.
3. Slide both the baking sheets into the oven and bake for 7 minutes. After the 7 minutes, slip the handle of a wooden spoon into the door to keep in ajar. When the puffs have been in the oven for a total of 12 minutes, rotate the sheets top to bottom and front to back. Continue baking for a further 8 minutes or until the puffs are puffed, golden and firm. The total baking time should be approximately 20 minutes.

TWD: Strawberry Blanc-Manger

Well, I'm a day late, so this is really my Wednesday with Dorie, but you get the idea. I finally decided on Tuesday afternoon to just try to put the blanc-manger together. I didn't have any raspberries on hand so I used some strawberries instead. I put together two small ramekins making only a 1/4 recipe (thanks to converting to grams and ounces). I think I may have incorrectly converted the almond meal though since there was quite a bit in mine, but who knows.

While the dessert was different than I expected, it was a happy difference for me. I expected it to have a real "gelatin-y" texture to it which I wasn't looking forward to. Instead it was creamy and light with just some texture from the almond meal and strawberries.

So, while it wasn't something I will probably make again, I'm glad that I went through with it and found out it wasn't what I expected.

This week's recipe was chosen by Susan at Sticky, Gooey, Creamy, Chewy, where you will find the recipe. Make sure to check the Tuesdays with Dorie blogroll for more versions!

Honey Vanilla Yogurt Panna Cotta with Strawberries

I don't know about where you are, but here in Utah, it is hot. Actually, it is more like HOT! The average temperature lately seems like it has been in the mid to high 90's and that is just in the Northern part of the State - I'm sure that Southern Utah is beyond sweltering!

Though ice cream is a wonderful choice for dessert any time as far as I'm concerned, it seems that sometimes you just want something a little different. Why not give panna cotta a try?

It is smooth, creamy, tangy, a little sweet, cool and refreshing. It is made more creamy and tangy by the use of some great Organic Greek Yogurt with the Oikos brand from Stonyfield Farms. I was contacted by Stonyfield Farms recently and asked if I would like to give this a try and use it to make something. The email literally came to me on the day I was looking at this recipe, so it seemed kismet. Using the yogurt makes this version even pretty good for you as far as desserts go.

If you are looking for a dessert that looks elegant, but takes the absolute minimum amount of time in the kitchen (aside from chilling) and no oven time at all, then this the dessert for you! I went ahead and topped our little servings with some strawberries that I sliced and soaked in some sugar and vanilla for a few minutes. You could really change up the fruit to whatever you would like - a mixture of berries, sliced peaches, plums, mango, whatever you like best - for a delicious summery treat.

Honey Vanilla Yogurt Panna Cotta with Strawberries

Adapted from Bon Appétit

Yield: Makes 4 large servings or 8 small servings 1/8 cup water 1 1/4 teaspoons unflavored gelatin 2/3 cup whipping cream 1/4 cup sugar 1 cup Greek Yogurt, Oikos Honey flavored or other flavor 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract Strawberries for topping, tossed with a little sugar and vanilla to taste, if desired Pour water into small bowl; sprinkle gelatin over. Let stand 10 minutes. Bring cream and sugar to simmer in heavy medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat. Add gelatin mixture and whisk until dissolved. Whisk in yogurt and vanilla. Divide mixture among your desired serving dishes. Cover and chill overnight. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep refrigerated.) Cut around edges of each panna cotta to loosen. Set each cup in shallow bowl of hot water for 10 seconds. Immediately invert onto plate. Top with fruit.

TWD: Tribute to Katharine Hepburn Brownies

I'm always excited when the recipe for the week involves chocolate, but when it comes in the form of a brownie - well, then I'm ecstatic!

My thanks go out to Lisa of Surviving Oz, winner of the logo contest and friend of our very own Jaime at Good Eats & Sweet Treats, chose this week's recipe - the Tribute to Katherine Hepburn Brownies. My thanks also especially go out to Dorie for including them in the book in the first place! These are just our kind of brownies - when we want one with stuff in it that is. If I am going for a just chocolate brownies, I will probably still turn to the ones from Baked.

The brownies which Dorie dubbed a tribute to Katharine Hepburn are a version of a recipe she tweaked. I did a Google Search for Katherine Hepburn brownies and got over 9,000 results. Safe to say there are probably many, many versions of the recipe that she was reported to have used out there already. Now this week, there will be several more variations from the other TWD Bakers!

Thank you Katharine for making pants stylish!

Love has nothing to do with what you are expecting to get -
only with what you are expecting to give - which is everything.
Katharine Hepburn

My take on these brownies was to undo a few of Dorie's tweaks - really just personal preference because I'm sure that the addition of the coffee and cinnamon are lovely. When I was making the brownies I left the coffee out because we just don't use it, and the cinnamon because I didn't feel like it. I also realized that I was short on chocolate to put in the brownies so I subbed toffee chips.

So, the low down on my brownies was cocoa, butter, sugar, eggs, a bit of flour, etc. + walnuts, chocolate and toffee chips as my mix-ins. They were a breeze to make and bake for me. I baked them the allotted amount of time with no problems and did bake them in a metal pan that I lined with a parchment sling. I allowed them to cool for probably about 45 minutes before ever trying to cut them. They were nicely fudgey and moist, but not gooey as some others experienced. All in all, I really enjoyed these - especially the ease of making them, and the fact that I wasn't faced with a huge batch - just a little 8x8 square pan's worth - and I know I will be making these again.

After recently reading up on high altitude baking (due to some terribly spreading chocolate chip cookies) I've started to realize that in some situations the recipe and directions may just not coincide with where I/you/we all live and really be no fault of the recipe at all.

Case in point, the recipe for the chocolate chip cookies that basically melted on me, was from the Baked book - assuming that the recipe was created at the Baked shop in the Red Hook area in NY - as well as the main three places I think Dorie probably created and tested her recipes - Paris, New York and Connecticut which are all basically at Sea Level (or less than 100ft elevation) and I am at roughly 4,300ft and it becomes fairly obvious that there can be quite a discrepancy there. It was actually just this past week (yes, after living in Utah for almost 12 years) that in a conversation on Twitter with another local food blogger, Barbara at Barbara Bakes, that she pointed out that perhaps this was my problem. I am a bit chagrined to admit, that because I moved down a couple thousand feet, I just never gave it much thought and haven't adjusted for high altitude in years most of the time. Usually, things have turned out fine, but I think I'm really on to something now about those things that have been going awry on me. Thanks Barbara!

So, I suggest if you have problems, and perhaps like me, thought that maybe you didn't need to worry about high altitude baking (seriously, I thought for a while that for the most part I was in the clear - after all, I used to live at almost 7,000ft - you might want to review this information on the King Arthur Flour website and see if any of it helps when a recipe gives you trouble.

SMS: Butterscotch Cashew Bars

To all the dad's out there today, I hope you are having a great day, relaxing with your family and enjoying some time together.

This week's recipe choice for Sweet Melissa Sundays, was hosted by Pamela of Cookies with Boys.

The timing for this recipe couldn't have been more perfect for me. Since it is Father's Day, I try to make the day all about Dad (my hubs in this case) and what he likes.  It just so happens that desserts like this are his favorite (just after vanilla ice cream and huckleberry pie mind you).  

In fact, the most response I get from my husband to anything I make now is usually, "It needs nuts."  Not even joking.  I guess since he has been eating what I make for close to 11 years now he has become a bit used to it.  He also knows that unless he gives me his honest opinion, even if it hurts, that he will be in trouble with me.  

I don't always add nuts to everything just for him, but today is his day, so these Butterscotch Cashew Bars are completely perfect.  They were also super easy and fairly quick to make.

The only change I made the recipe today was to use some golden syrup I had on hand.  I forgot that I was out of corn syrup and thought it would make a nice substitution, which it did.

Make sure to check out the other SMS Bakers.

Get the recipe here.

TWD: Chipster-Topped Brownies

Beth of Supplicious chose this week's recipe from Baking From My Home To Yours, by Dorie Greenspan, for our Tuesdays with Dorie escapades.  

Beth, my sincerest thanks go out to you for the choice and especially to Dorie for creating and putting this recipe in the book in the first place.

To say that I loved this recipe is actually putting it mildly.  After all, this recipe basically combines my two most favorite comfort desserts into one insanely delicious and addictive pan -seriously, it is genius.  Chocolaty and delicious brownies topped by incredible chocolate chip cookie dough.  

'Nuff said - well, almost, I will say one more thing for you to wrap your mind around:  Cut a nice square while warm, top it off with some vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce - yeah, I went there.

Don't forget to check out more chocolaty goodness at the Tuedays with Dorie blogroll!

Chocolate Mousse

Shocking announcement here... ok, not really, but I looooove chocolate mousse. Coming from a chocolate loving fanatic that really can't qualify as shocking at all.

What does surprise me is the number of people who have never tried making this at home. It is one of the easiest and most satisfying desserts in my arsenal. You can use it as filling for cupcakes or cake, eat it alone or with whipped cream and when you serve it in pretty glasses it is probably one of the most elegant desserts out there.

Then there's me. Jam jars were my portioning vehicle of choice this time around - probably not the most elegant choice, but it got the job done and the half-pint jars were exactly the right size for four servings. This mousse is fairly rich though and next time I will probably go ahead and portion it out into six servings after all. As it was, I was the only one able to finish my jar - but then, there was no way I was letting any of it go to waste!

Chocolate Mousse
SOURCE: Mark Bittman in The New York Times

Yield 4 large servings or 6 smaller ones

Time 20 minutes, plus time to chill

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
3 eggs, separated
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Place a double boiler or small saucepan over low heat, and melt butter and chocolate together. Just before chocolate finishes melting, remove pan from stove, and beat chocolate with a wooden spoon until smooth.

2. Transfer chocolate mixture to a bowl, and beat in egg yolks with a whisk. Place bowl in refrigerator.

3. Beat egg whites with half the sugar until they hold stiff peaks but are not dry. Set aside. Beat cream with the remaining sugar and vanilla until it holds soft peaks.

4. Stir a couple of spoonfuls of the whites into chocolate mixture to lighten it a bit, then fold in remaining whites thoroughly but gently. Fold in cream, and refrigerate until chilled. If you are in a hurry, divide mousse among six cups: it will chill much faster. Serve within a day or two of making it.

I topped the mousse with some lightly sweetened whipped cream with a little dash or vanilla and some chocolate shavings just before serving.

Carrot Cake Cupcakes

Until very recently I had never really liked carrot cake.  I'm not a big fan of cakes that are 'loaded' to the brim with stuff and most carrot cakes are just way too busy for me with all the carrots, nuts, pineapple, coconut, etc. in there. 

Then there are these cupcakes.  Simple, not overloaded and, in a word, heavenly.  If there is a simpler recipe, I don't know what it would be.  These are cupcakes that are mixed in one bowl really, and by hand.  The most high-tech thing that has to be done is to shred a couple of carrots.  In fact, other than some spice, the carrots, and the usual suspects, there aren't any other embellishments in this recipe.  And it doesn't need it.  

Don't get me wrong, you could certainly toss some toasted nuts in, or add some other stuff to it if you want, but you don't have to.  Which is really nice.   The frosting is the perfect embellishment with the cream cheese, some orange zest and vanilla bean paste - I just dearly love the orange / vanilla combo.  I also added just a little bit of heavy cream to my frosting to get a more flowing frosting that was somewhere between a thick frosting and an extra thick glaze.  These cupcakes are great with a few broken pieces of lightly toasted walnuts or pecans on top too.

The first time I made these cupcakes was for my husband's birthday.  He is rather hard to please in the dessert department, and especially with cake.  I did know that he liked carrot cake though.  I literally threw these together while dinner was cooking.  They were mixed, baked, cooled, frosted and eaten within about 45 minutes.  That, in my opinion, is my kind of dessert. 

Carrot Cake Cupcakes

Adapted from Martha Stewart

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted

1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

1 large egg

2 Tablespoons sour cream

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups grated carrots (about 4 medium carrots)

Frosting:

1 8-oz. package cream cheese, room temperature

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup powdered confectioners' sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste (or 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract)

Finely grated zest of one orange

1 - 2 Tablespoons heavy cream (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Line a 12-cup standard muffin tin with paper liners.

In a large bowl whisk together all the dry ingredients and set aside.

In another large bowl whisk together the remaining ingredients, except for the carrots. Combine well, then stir in the grated carrots.  Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and stir until well combined.  

Divide between the 12 lined cups (they will be about 3/4 full).  Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through, and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Remove from the pan to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.  

To make the frosting, use an electric mixer to beat the ingredients together.  For a slightly thinner, glaze-like frosting, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of cream and stir into the mixture to get the consistency you want (as shown) - without the cream the frosting will just be thicker.  Top each cupcake with about 2 tablespoons of frosting and serve.

Optional:  These cupcakes are great topped with some lightly toasted pecans or walnuts.