Lemon Frosted Coconut Carrot Cupcakes

As promised, here are the cupcakes my family had to celebrate Easter.

I had requests for coconut, lemon and carrot. I was worried about picking one flavor and ignoring the other flavor suggestions.

So after brainstorming ideas, it came to me. A carrot cupcake loaded with coconut and topped with a light lemon frosting with an extra sprinkle of coconut. 

The cupcakes were super moist and the frosting was the perfect addition. You can also make this in cake form with or without frosting.

Lemon Frosted Coconut Carrot Cupcakes Adapted from The New Me and Isa Chandra Moskowitz

Makes 16 cupcakes or one 9 x 9" square pan

Ingredients

Cake

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp cinnamon 

• 3 cups shredded carrots

• 3/4 cup canola oil

• 1/2 cup orange juice

• 1    1/2 cups shredded coconut

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Combine dry ingredients from first column. Stir in carrots. Pour in canola oil and mix. Batter will be thick. Pour in orange juice. Batter will slowly thin a bit. Fold in shredded coconut.

Grease muffin tin or 9 x 9" square pan. Pour batter into greased dish. If making cupcakes, bake 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. If making cake, bake for 45 - 50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Frosting

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup Earth Balance Shortening
• 1/4 cup Earth Balance Buttery Stick

• 2 cups powdered sugar
• Juice of 2 lemons

• Zest of 2 lemons

Instructions

Blend shortening and butter until combined with hand mixer. Add powdered sugar in 1/2 cup increments alternating with lemon juice. Beat three minutes or until fluffy. Fold in lemon zest.

Frost cupcakes with frosting and sprinkle with coconut.

Leprechaun Cake

Leprechauns. Mischievous small men playing tricks on boys and girls. I wasn't expecting to come across any in the kitchen, but I was in for a surprise. It seemed like a normal baking day. I whipped up chocolate cake batter and mint oreo frosting with ease, however, I knew someone was messing with me when I started assembling the cake.

As I peeled the parchment paper from the cake, I could tell something was wrong. The cake felt too fragile. I hoped it was just my imagination as I slid my knife in to cut the cake in half. But it wasn't. The cake began to crumble and my big hopes for a delicious St. Patrick's Day treat were vanishing.

Perfect batter

Perfect mint oreo frosting

Then it occurred to me. The leprechauns must have turned the oven temperature down or tricked the cake into bouncing back to the touch when really it wasn't ready. I surely couldn't have done something wrong.

Winnie looking for leprechauns

Well, whatever happened, I almost had another breakdown like with the Cinnamon Cream Sandwich Cookies. Instead I decided to trudge ahead and hope for the best. I assembled the cake carefully transporting the broken pieces of cake, pouring melted chocolate over the cake and topping it with crumbled oreos. The result was one of the best cakes I've ever had. Thanks leprechauns! Your trickery can't stop me from making a great cake.

Chocolate Cake Adapted from Sticky Fingers' Sweets

Ingredients

• 2   2/3 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1   2/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp baking powder

• 1   3/4 cup water
• 2/3 cup canola oil
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp mint extract

• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix all dry ingredients from first column in large bowl. 

Whisk all liquid ingredients from second column in medium sized bowl.

Pour liquid ingredients into dry ingredients and mix.

Once thoroughly combined, add apple cider vinegar. Mix until you see parts of the batter change color. It does not need to be completely combined.

Pour into a 10 x 15 inch pan lined with parchment paper. 

Bake for 20 minutes or until the cake bounces back to the touch.

Mint Oreo Frosting Adapted from Sticky Fingers' Sweets

Ingredients

• 6 tbsp Earth Balance shortening
• 2 tbsp Earth Balance buttery spread

• 1    1/3 cup powdered sugar

• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp mint extract
• 1 tbsp almond milk
• 5 drops green food coloring

• 5 crushed cool mint oreos 

Instructions

Beat shortening and butter with a hand mixer until combined.

Add powdered sugar 1/3 cup at a time.

Add liquid ingredients from third column.

Beat until fluffy, about three minutes.

Fold in crushed oreos.

Cake Assembly

Ingredients

• 1 chocolate cake

• 1 batch mint oreo frosting

• 1 cup chocolate chips

• 5 crushed Cool Mint Oreos

Instructions

Cut cake in half.

Spread one half with mint oreo frosting.

Top with unfrosted cake half.

Melt chocolate chips and pour over cake.

Sprinkle with crushed oreos.