Cream Cheese Frosting

I love cream cheese frosting, it can be a bit zesty if you like, either way it is super easy and super yummy! This makes a large quantity, when I made it last I frosted a 30cm round banana cake and 12 cupcake/mini muffins, and had enough to do at least 12 more!! So you may want to halve the quantities (:

Cream Cheese Frosting 

Ingredients:

• 1 tub of Tofutti "Better Than Cream Cheese"
• 1/4 cup Nuttelex
• 500g icing sugar
• 1 tsp of vanilla extract/lemon juice/orange juice/lime
• The zest of 1 lemon/orange/lime (optional, but recommended if using citrus juice instead of vanilla, which is what I usually do).

Method:

1. Allow cream cheese to soften on the bench for a little while before you are ready to make the frosting.
2. Place all ingredients in a bowl/bowl of mixer/bowl of food processor and mix until combined. Done! You may want to add your flavourings according to taste rather than quantity.
3. If you aren't using the mix immediately transfer to an air tight container and pop into the fridge until ready. It can be stored like this for a few days or so. 

Mini Carrot Muffins/Cupcakes

I have been finally get back into the swing of baking again, but I have terribly neglected my poor little blog!

I have never been a fan of carrot cake, it always seemed like a "grownup's" cake because I never found it very sweet, it never had pink or chocolate icing and the grownup's would alway have it with coffee. That was all terrible to me, and now if I was offered a slice of carrot cake I would still turn it down as I hate walnuts, which always seem to make an appearance. 

I stumbled across this cupcake, or really mini muffin, recipe a while back and I've been tweaking it to my tastes. 
So here are my carrot cake muffins, I  hope you enjoy them (:

Mini Carrot Cake Muffins

Makes 12 mini muffins/cupcakes

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup raw/white sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 225g grated carrots
• Zest of 1 orange
• Subsitute for 2 eggs 
• 1 1/2 cups self raising flour, white/wholemeal or a mix
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 55g sultanas
• 1/2 cup milk of choice, you may need more or less so start slow. I use soy or oat milk.
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon 
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

Method: 

Basically I just chuck everything, except the milk, in my mixer and go for it. I then just add the milk whilst it is mixing through until it looks right. But I'll give you the proper version as well ;)

1. Preheat oven to 200oC/400oF
2. Sift flour into a bowl/food processor bowl or bowl of mixer
3. Add all other ingredients except for the milk. Gently mix until almost all combined.
4. With the mixer/beaters/food processor on low speed, slowly add milk until the mix has just come together and looking smooth. If you are doing it by hand just keep going until done. Remember; try not to over work the batter or the "muffincake" will go tough. 
5. Bake for about 15-20 minutes (give or take).
6. Cool completely on a wire rack.
7. Frost with cream cheese frosting.

Can be stored in a air tight container unfrosted for a week or for about 3 days frosted in the fridge.