Lemon Carrot Cupcakes

This is a recipe that I’ve wanted to try for a while. I never put carrots and lemon together in a cake, and have a particular fondness for lemon in desserts. The frosting has lemon too, and turning it orange gives the cupcakes a terrific flair.

2 eggs
1 cup caster sugar
1/3 cup lemon juice (1 lemon)
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 cups plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
3/4 cup carrot, grated
zest of 1/2 lemon
** Walnuts if desired, original recipe asked for 1/2 cup

Frosting

1 1/2 cups icing sugar, sifted
zest of 1/2 lemon
1 tsp lemon juice
90 g butter, softened
1 drop orange food coloring
A few tsp of milk as needed

Preheat oven to 350F / 180C.
Grate about 2 carrots for the 3/4 cups needed.
Squeeze juice from one lemon then set aside for zest and frosting.
Mix flour, baking powder, and spices in a small bowl.
Beat eggs and sugar together.
Strain in lemon juice and add vanilla, beat well.
Stir in carrots and lemon zest.
Add flour mixture in batches and stir until combined.
Divide into cupcake tins, makes approximately 12 large or 24 small cupcakes.
Bake for around 20 minutes, until browned and cooked through.
Allow to cool on a wire rack before frosting.
Make the frosting by beating all the ingredients together except milk.
Add milk a tsp at a time until it is the desired consistency.
NOTE: The original recipe did not have milk at all but I found that mine needed it, around 3 tsp.