Mr. McGregor’s Carrot Cupcakes With Candy Melt Carrot Decorations
Make Mr. McGregor’s Carrot Cupcakes with this delicious from-scratch recipe. We show you how to frost and decorate with tiny molded candy-melt carrots you make yourself.
These cupcakes are perfect for the Mr. McGregor’s Garden Baby Shower.
Check out more of our Mr. McGregor’s Garden Baby Shower items:
- Baby Shower Game
- Baby Shower Planner
- Baby Shower Invitation Suite.
How to Make Mr. McGregor’s Carrot Cupcakes
When we say from-scratch recipe we mean real shredded carrots poking out of the rich cake in every bite!
The taste is so worth the extra mixing to serve these mini cakes.
Supplies for Baking and Decorating Cupcakes:
This is a list of supplies to check for besides what you likely already have on hand.
- parchment cupcake liners*
- cupcake batter dispenser*
- wire whisk*
- mini carrot candy mold*
- orange and green candy melts (or white melts with orange and green food coloring)
- large cake decorating bag* with size 1M stainless tip*
Bake the Cupcakes:
Mr. McGregor's Carrot Cupcakes
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 cup granulated cane sugar
- 1 cup lightly packed brown sugar
- 1 ¼ cup canola oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 4 eggs, room temperature
- 3 cups grated, peeled carrots
- 1 cup coarsely chopped pecans
- ½ cup raisins
Instructions
- Measure all the dry ingredients into a medium sized bowl and whisk together well.
- Crack the eggs into a separate bowl. When they are room temperature, whisk well, and add the raisins. Let set for 15 minutes to half an hour.
- Mix the sugars, vanilla and oil together in a separate bowl. Whisk well.
- Add the eggs and raisins to the sugar and oil mixture. Pour over the dry ingredients. Mix gently with a spatula until blended.
- Add the carrots and pecans.
- Place batter into the 4 cup dispensing pitcher. Line muffin tins with cupcake liners. Fill liners 2/3 full.
- Bake at 350° for 20 to 25 minutes. Place on rack to cool. Frost when cooled completely.
Frost and Decorate Mr. McGregor’s Carrot Cupcakes:
After the cupcakes are cooled to room temperature, you’re ready to frost and decorate.
Mr. McGregor's Carrot Cupcake Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
- 2 cups cream cheese (16 oz. package), room temperature
- 1 cup butter or shortening, room temperature
- 6 - 9 cups sifted powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp cream of tartar
- ¼ to ½ cup milk, depending how stiff you want the frosting
Instructions
- Beat the butter at high speed for 3 minutes, then add the cream cheese and beat on low about a minute. Do the same if you use shortening.
- Stir the salt, cream of tartar and vanilla into ¼ cup of the milk until dissolved. Add to the butter/cream cheese mixture and beat well.
- Add the powdered sugar a little at a time until well mixed and smooth. Add more milk if the frosting is too thick.
- Fit the large tip into a decorator bag, and fill with frosting. Swirl "roses" on top of each cupcake. Add a candy melt carrot to each, and add green sprinkles or green tinted coconut if desired, to look like leaves and greenery.
How to Pipe Mini Carrots for Cupcake Toppers
If you’re a cake decorator you can simply squeeze the carrot shapes onto wax paper and let them dry.
Tint some frosting orange for the carrots and use a large round tip. Use more pressure for the thick top of the carrot, then pull and release to get a narrow tip for the carrot bottom.
Tint a little frosting green, and add greenery to the top of the carrot with a writing or leaf tip.
Let the frosting carrots dry overnight, or longer if your weather is humid. Place them in the fridge to speed the drying time.
Helpful Hints by Heloise
Sorry, that just came out. If you were reading newspapers in the last century you probably would’ve come across a column by Heloise. And her helpful hints for just about anything in the house. She didn’t do the Ann Lander’s type of advice.
So when I give helpful hints, I become Heloise…
- Some people aren’t comfortable squeezing frosting into shapes, so take the easier road. Make the molded candy-melt carrots. Melt and tint the candy melts according to the directions on the bag. Place the melted candy into a frosting bag and squeeze into the carrot shapes in the candy mold. Now let them harden overnight. Remove the carrots from the mold and add to the top of your frosted cupcakes.
- You can purchase the candy melts on Amazon, but I believe you can get them at a better price at a craft store that sells cake decorating supplies. With a coupon or on sale.
- If you don’t have orange food coloring, mix red and yellow to get orange.
Try Mr. McGregor’s Cupcakes
even if you’re not having a party or planning a Baby Shower.
They’re a super yummy dessert treat any time. And, the bonus, they’re healthy because they have carrots in them! Right?
So add this to your Pinterest boards.
And follow our Beatrix Potter Pinterest Board here.
