Carrot Cupcakes with Honey Cream Cheese Frosting

Hola!  I am still here.

J'existe.

It's been a busy, crazy fall.  Also, do you ever make a big plan to sit down and do something you're supposed to do, and then...

...just cross-stitch and binge-watch Friends instead?

CROSS-STITCHING!  It's coming back.  I can feel it.

I'm doing a street scene of a French flower shop(pe).

Between cross-stitching, I've also been making carrot cupcakes on an industrial scale.

Commissioned by the community-service committee in my church, I produced 150 cupcakes for an anniversary celebration.

It didn't take as long as I thought it would!

It's a bee theme, because service.  Keeps us busy.  Like bees.  You know?

Bizzy.

Mmmm carrot cupcakes!

Carrot Cupcakes with Honey Cream Cheese Frosting

makes 24 - 36 (it's a big recipe!)

6 cups grated carrots
enough amaretto or apple juice to cover carrots
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup raisins
4 eggs
 1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 cup crushed pineapple, drained
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons cinnamon
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

The night before, place raisins in bowl and cover with amaretto or apple-juice.  Allow to sit overnight.

The day of preparation, in a medium bowl, combine grated carrots and brown sugar.  Set aside for 60 minutes, then stir in raisins.

Preheat oven to 350.  Line 2 12-cup muffin pans with paper liners.

In a large bowl, beat eggs until light.  Gradually beat in the white sugar, oil and vanilla.  Stir in the pineapple.  Combine the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon, and stir into the wet mixture until absorbed.  Finally stir in the carrot mixture and the walnuts, if using.  Pour evenly into cupcake pans, filling about 2/3 full.

Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until cupcakes test done with a toothpick.  Cool for ten minutes before removing from pans.

Allow to cool completely before frosting.

Honey Cream Cheese Frosting

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup cream cheese
3 - 4 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon milk
pinch salt

Beat butter, cream cheese and powdered sugar together until well-combined, about 3 minutes.  Add vanilla, honey, milk and salt and beat until incorporated, about 1 more minute.