I know some of you think I’m like a demented Martha Stewart and I do everything from scratch and that includes churn my own  butter. But truthfully, often I do it semi-homemade. And it tastes just fine.

What you were looking at are my cheaters carrot cake cupcakes. I call them cheaters because I start with a box cake mix.

I take a French vanilla cake mix, and I add four eggs, One cup of milk instead of the one cup of water called for on the package, one stick or 1/2 cup of butter melted and cooled slightly instead of vegetable oil. 

To that I add 2 tablespoons of ground cinnamon, 1 1/2 teaspoons of cardamom, 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes, and 4 finally grated medium-sized carrots.

I add the dry cake mix and beat the better according to the package directions. Today I used a Betty Crocker super moist French vanilla mix.

I cook the cupcakes according to package directions which is 350° for 17 to 20 minutes and you have to keep an eye on it.  Once they are cool, I frost them with store-bought cream cheese frosting. I mixed my manufacturers and used Pillsberry frosting today.

I love making cupcakes I think they are fun and you can go on Amazon and through Wilton bakeware you can get all sorts of cute cupcake liners. And I use aluminum cupcake pans – they were my grandmother’s actually. I do not like a lot of dark metal non stick bakeware. I don’t like the way things cook in the nonstick.

Thanks for stopping by!