Take classic moist carrot cake cupcakes and top them with a creamier and slightly sweeter mascarpone cream cheese frosting, and you will have a whole new Spring favorite!

This blog post was originally published on April 11, 2014, and has been updated with new pictures.

Hey there, and welcome back, friends.

You are in for a delicious Spring treat!

It was a long and hard wait, but I had to hold off on the carrot cake until the breeze finally started feeling like Spring!! It’s 60 today, woot woot woot! And after two thunderstorms, it’s starting to smell like Spring.

I start indulging in carrot cake as soon as the Spring air arrives. It’s just a Spring thing. Although, it is also a Fall thing. Hmmmmm, it might be a year-round thing then… I guess I just love carrot cake!!

The problem is that I am very picky when it comes to carrot cake recipes, and I have been on the hunt for the perfect one for a while.

They have to be moist (duh), have the perfect amount of carrots but not too much where it tastes like just strings of carrot, they can’t be too sweet, and there needs to be some crunch in there, and of course be topped with cream cheese frosting.

See? Told you I was picky. Needless to say, I have found it. These carrot cake cupcakes with mascarpone cream cheese frosting are not only a twist on the classic but are also all of the above! You can find my other carrot cake recipes here: Carrot Cake Bars, Classic Carrot Cake, Baked Carrot Cake Donuts, and Carrot Bundt Cake.

Moist, with the perfect ratio of carrot to cake, not too sweet, with a little bit of crunch, and topped with a slightly less tangy cream cheese frosting.

I found this recipe on Joy the Baker, and I hardly had to alter it. I was pleasantly surprised how the cupcakes turned out to be the perfect carrot cake cupcakes I love from my local bakery. And you know what?

They are so easy to make too! It’s a one-bowl mixing process. No mixer is involved, just your muscles. Look how beautiful they look above when they come out of the oven. See the ratio of carrots to cake?? Yup, that’s how I like it!!

I topped the carrot cake cupcakes with mascarpone cream cheese frosting because mascarpone is creamier and slightly sweeter than cream cheese, making the frosting just so much more delicious. As an avid cupcake frosting swirlier, traditional cream cheese frosting is a nemesis.

I dislike it from that point of view, but it tastes so good, and you CANNOT have carrot cake without it, so I just dolloped it on top. Thank God for sprinkles!! And festive Easter eggs!

Ingredients

• a few fresh carrots
• crushed pineapple
• eggs
• granulated sugar & powdered sugar
• vegetable oil
• buttermilk & milk
• pure vanilla extract
• a few mix-ins like pecans or walnuts & dried cranberries
• all-purpose flour
• baking powder & baking soda
• salt
• ground cinnamon, ginger, & cloves
• cream cheese
• unsalted butter
• mascarpone cheese

How to Make the Best Carrot Cake Cupcakes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line 2 muffin tins with cupcake liners and set aside.

In a medium-sized bowl, add in the carrots, eggs, sugar, oil, buttermilk, vanilla, pineapple, dried cranberries, and nuts.

Mix together until combined and set aside.

In another bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: Flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves.

Add the dry ingredients all at once into the wet ingredients and

Mix until just combined and there are no flour clumps.

Divide the batter into prepared cupcake liners, filling each about three-quarters full.

Bake cupcakes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 20-23 minutes, rotating halfway through baking.

Remove cupcakes from the oven and let them cool in pans for 10 minutes before turning out onto cooling racks and cooling completely before frosting.

For the frosting, beat the cream cheese on medium speed until soft and creamy, about 3 minutes.

Add the butter and mascarpone cheese and beat on low until well combined. Then, increase the speed to medium and beat for 1 minute.

Add the rest of the ingredients and beat on low speed until combined. Add more milk to reach your desired consistency.

Frost the cooled cupcakes and store the cupcakes in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

How to Store

Store these frosted cupcakes in the refrigerator for up to 5 days in an airtight container.

More Easter Recipes

• Speckled Easter Cake
• Easter Chocolate Cupcakes
• Easter Basketweave Cake
• Easter Cake Pops
• Bird Nest Cupcakes

What do you think of this moist carrot cake cupcake recipe? What would you serve with these Easter cupcakes? Let me know in the comment section below. 

If you share across social media, make sure to tag #aclassictwist, so I can see your beautiful creation come to life!

Happy Spring baking, friends!

Carrot Cake Cupcake Recipe

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Yield: 15 cupcakes

Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Mascarpone Cream Cheese Frosting

Take classic moist carrot cake cupcakes and top them with a creamier and slightly sweeter mascarpone cream cheese frosting, and you will have a whole new Spring favorite!

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 23 minutes

Total Time 53 minutes

Ingredients

Carrot Cake Cupcakes

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• 2 cups carrots, peeled and finely processed or grated
• 2 large eggs, slightly beaten
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ¾ cup vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ¼ cup crushed pineapple, drained
• ½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts
• ¼ cup dried cranberries
• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• a pinch of teaspoon ground cloves

Mascarpone Cream Cheese Frosting:

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• 6 ounces cream cheese, softened
• ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• ½ cup mascarpone cheese, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• pinch of salt
• 4-5 cups powdered sugar
• 2-4 tablespoons milk, depending on your desired consistency

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 muffin tins with cupcake liners and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together the carrots, eggs, sugar, oil, buttermilk, vanilla, pineapple, dried cranberries and nuts.
3. In another bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and cloves)
4. Add the dry ingredients all at once into the wet ingredients and mix until just combined and there are no flour clumps.
5. Divide batter into prepared cupcake liners, filling each about ¾ full. Bake cupcakes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 20-23 minutes, rotating halfway through baking. Remove cupcakes from oven and let cool in pans for 10 minutes before turning out onto cooling racks and cooling completing before frosting.
6. For Frosting: Beat the cream cheese on medium speed until soft and creamy, about 3 minutes on medium speed. Add the butter and mascarpone cheese and beat on low until well combined. Then increase speed to medium and beat for 1 minute. Add the rest of the ingredients and beat on low speed until combined. Add more milk to reach your desired consistency.
7. Frost cooled cupcakes.
8. Store cupcakes in refrigerator until ready to serve.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

15

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 931Total Fat: 26gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 16gCholesterol: 58mgSodium: 289mgCarbohydrates: 176gFiber: 2gSugar: 161gProtein: 4g

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Share it with us on Instagram using #aclassictwist so we can see what you are baking up in your kitchen!

The post Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Mascarpone Cream Cheese Frosting appeared first on A Classic Twist.

Hey there, and welcome back, friends.

You are in for a treat!

Lemon Raspberry Cake

I have a cake for you today and this is no ordinary cake. It’s an epic lemon raspberry cake filled with a sweet honey mascarpone filling, raspberry compote, and cream cheese frosting.

Doesn’t that sound so so good? Well, it is!

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The post Lemon Raspberry Cake with Honey Mascarpone Filling and Cream Cheese Frosting appeared first on A Classic Twist.

Every now and then I create something simple that really excites me. A pure magic of great flavor blending and this apple pie cake roll with mascarpone filling is one of those times.

It all started with a conversation with my foodie ex-labmate about what to do with all the apples I picked. I didn’t want to share another apple pie recipe, apple crisp or apple muffins because we’ve been there and done that. I was in the mood for something different and creative. So we brained stormed over dinner and she had the idea of a cake roll. Together we determined that we should do a plain vanilla cake for the roll (not an apple spice cake roll) but fill the cake with apple pie filling to have all those warm flavors of the season and since most of my favorite cake rolls come with a whipped cream filling, we decided mascarpone will be a great addition to seal the deal. And boy!! Was this all a great idea.

We got together one Saturday at brunch and made this apple pie cake roll. It was a labor of true friendship and the results was even more enjoyed. A spongy, soft vanilla cake is filled with cooked apple pie filling and whipped mascarpone cream all rolled up and drizzled with salted caramel sauce. Every flavor is distinct and yet not overpowering. The sweet cake and apple pie feeling goes well with the soft tangy and creamy mascarpone cream filling. And the drizzle of salted caramel adds a sweet and salty touch to it.

I have not been this excited about a recipe in a long time and it might have been because it was all done with a good friend and we bonded and spent great time over it. Baking with and for loved ones is the best!

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Yield: 1 roll cake

Apple Pie Cake Roll with Mascarpone Filling

Prep Time 40 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Chill Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 50 minutes

Ingredients

For the Cake:

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• 6 large egg whites, room temperature
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 6 large egg yolks, room temperature
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup cake flour, sifted
• 1/3 cup confectioner’s sugar, for rolling the cake

For the Filling:

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• 2 medium apples, cored and diced
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• a pinch of ground nutmeg
• a pinch of cloves
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 8 ounces mascarpone cheese
• ¼ cup confectioner’s sugar
• Salted caramel sauce,

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly butter and flour a 13 x 18 x 1-inch sheet pan (a half sheet pan). Line with parchment and grease parchment.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on medium speed until foamy. With the mixer going, gradually add in the first amount of sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Transfer the whipped eggs to a separate bowl.
3. In the bowl of the mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the egg yolks, second amount of sugar and vanilla extract on medium speed until well combined, about 3-4 minutes.
4. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in a third of the whipped egg white into the egg yolks mixture until combined. Fold in the rest of the egg white mixture until combined. Be careful not to over mix the batter. Using a sift, sift roughly half of the cake flour over the batter and gently fold with a spatula. Repeat with the other half until incorporated.
5. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Evenly spread the batter into a thin layer using an offset spatula.
6. Bake for 8-12 minutes or until lightly brown and the cake springs back gently when touched.
7. While cake bakes, spread a thin cotton towel on a flat surface. Sift half of the confectioner’s sugar all over the towel.
8. When cake is done, loosen the edges with a bread knife and immediately invert onto the prepared towel. Remove the parchment paper and prepare to roll the cake. Gently roll the warm cake and towel together, starting at the short end of the cake. Place rolled cake on a wire rack and allow to cool completely.
9. For the apple pie filling, combine the apples, ground cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and brown sugar in a small saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat and until apples soften and begin to break down, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool completely.
10. When ready to assemble, beat the mascarpone cheese and powdered sugar together until light and creamy on medium speed, about 2-3 minutes.
11. To assemble, unroll the cake onto a board. Spread the mascarpone filling evenly using an offset spatula. Sprinkle the apple pie filling over that. Re-roll the cake in a spiral, without the towel this time. Trim the edges with a sharp knife to make a neat edge. Dust with more confectioners’ sugar, drizzle with caramel sauce and serve sliced.

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Share it with us on Instagram using #aclassictwist so we can see what you are baking up in your kitchen!

The post Apple Pie Cake Roll with Mascarpone Filling appeared first on A Classic Twist.

Cupcake wars!! That’s how these vanilla cupcakes with strawberry mascarpone frosting came about. How, you ask? Long story … but briefly.

It all started with my foodie labmate. I got a new labmate this summer that is just a foodie at heart like me! I love her! We talk foodie dreams, obsessions and things we are looking forward to trying while in the cell culture room playing with our cells. She’s my partner in crime and just gets my love for baking. Just last week, she told me of a cupcake she had a while ago and was planning on remaking. It was a vanilla cupcake with strawberries and mascarpone. I was instantly intrigued by the combination of mascarpone and strawberries and decided to make my version of it while she does the same. We can reconvene on Monday with two cupcakes and have our other labmates judge. (We clearly have too much time on our hands, don’t judge!)

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The post Vanilla Cupcakes with Strawberry Mascarpone Frosting appeared first on A Classic Twist.

*This post was originally posted in 2013 but the images were updated recently*

I accomplished two things this weekend; I woke up before 11am and made pie crust from scratch.

I made my first trip of the season to our local farmer’s market which in itself isn’t a big deal. But see, I almost never leave my house before noon on the weekends. Unless if I really really have to or love someone dearly. My friends know this… you don’t call or make plans with Z before noon (I know it wont last long, but I don’t have kids yet and I plan to enjoy this luxury/laziness while I can). But I love the farmer’s market and I really wanted some fresh fruits and vegetables so I ventured out and I am so happy I did. I got lots of strawberries (duh!), peaches, corn, peppers, tomatoes and plenty more. I’ll be waking up for more farmer’s market trips this summer to get some fresh produce and support our local farmers.

When deciding what to make with my strawberries, I thought of this strawberry mascarpone tart I first saw by Kelly Bakes, a few months ago. The only problem about it was that, I don’t do pies or tarts because I can’t make pie crusts from scratch. I tried it once last fall and it was an epic fail so I stayed away from pies. But I realized it’s about time I face my fear. And I was pleasantly surprised that this tart crust turned out perfectly (or I got lucky, but I’m going to go with the first here!). My second accomplishment of the weekend!

For the filling, I combined honey, lemon juice and lemon zest with mascarpone cheese which gives a very creamy filling that you can consume on its own. But don’t, you have to fill your lovely golden buttery crust with it (isn’t it just so beautiful?). It will be hard, trust me but once you can muster the will power to fill the crust, chill it for a few minutes, and prepare the strawberries.

I simply mixed the strawberries with sugar and let it sit for 20 minutes to make it sweeter. In retrospect, I would not have mixed the strawberries in sugar at all. It made the strawberries slightly too soft for my liking and hard to handle so next time I will just layer the fresh sliced strawberries on the mascarpone layer. Plus, that would make for more beautiful pictures!

This pie is the perfect combination of my favorite summer flavors; strawberry and lemon, adding a tangy mascarpone layer to create the ultimate tart. It takes a few hours to make, mostly waiting time, but it is so worth the time and you will not be disappointed. It will amaze guests at any 4th of July gathering, so do try it! If you like, you could add some blueberries for a full red, white and blue effect.

Enjoy!

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Yield: 1 9-inch tart

Strawberry Mascarpone Tart

Prep Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

For the Crust:

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• 1¼ cup all purpose flour
• ¼ cup cornmeal
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
• 3 tablespoons iced water
• 1 large egg yolk

For Filling:

Toggle ingredient group

• 2 cups mascarpone cheese
• 1/3 cup honey (or up to ½ cup if you want it sweeter)
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1½ - 2 pounds fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced lengthwise
• 1 tablespoon sugar

Instructions

For Tart Crust:

1. In a food processor, pulse together the flour, cornmeal, sugar and salt for 30 seconds to combine. Add in the cold butter cubes and process using on/off turns to cut in the butter until the mixture looks like coarse meal. Place the bowl in the fridge for a few minutes. Whisk together the ice water and egg yolk in a small bowl. Retrieve the butter and flour mixture from the fridge and add the egg and water mixture all at once. Pulse until moist clumps forms and the dough comes together.
2. Gather the dough into a ball and form into a disk on a lightly floured surface. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap for 1 hour. When you are ready to roll dough, let sit at room temperature for 20 minutes. Unwrap dough and roll out on a floured surface. Roll to an 11-inch circle and gently transfer to a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Press the dough against the sides and edges and trim excess overhang. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line the crust with foil or parchment paper making sure you cover all sides. Fill the pan with pie weights, dried beans or coins. Bake crust for 15 minutes, roatte the pan and bake for another 15 minutes. Remove the foil and weights and bake for addition 5 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Cool crust in pan completely.

For the Mascarpone filling:

1. Beat together the mascarpone and honey until creamy (You don't need an electric mixer for this, but if you do have one, beat on medium-low speed). Add lemon juice, zest and vanilla extract and beat until combined. The mixture will be creamy and glossy.
2. Once the crust is completely cooled, spread the mascarpone filling into the tart shell. Spread evenly. Chill while you prepare the strawberries.
3. Mix the strawberry and sugar in a large bowl and set aside for 20 minutes.
4. Top the mascarpone filling with the sliced strawberries. Arrange in a circular pattern. Chill for at least an hour, up to two hours, before serving.
5. Store any leftovers refrigerated.

Making this Recipe?

Share it with us on Instagram using #aclassictwist so we can see what you are baking up in your kitchen!

The post Strawberry Mascarpone Tart appeared first on A Classic Twist.