CupCake Hero....The Cranberry

So, I am far to addicted to the Daring Bakers already, and I am not even the offical member until my first challenge is posted. But I go there daily (haha) and have atleast 6 different events that I want to do. its sooo addicting omg. I am all about some cupcakes, and I see there is one called Cupcake hero. I think to myself, how awesome is this!! I await to see what the secret ingredient is, and there it is, the Cranberry. How perfect for Thanksgiving. But what, oh what do I do with the cranberry. Of course, I can't think of anything to do with it alone, but ohh the things it can be mixed with. Of course..there is pumpkin..mmm pumkin and cranberries. But to obviuos. My husband loves carrot cake, and I thought man how good would cranberries be in my carrot cake.

So that is what I did, I have a cranberry carrot cupcake. With Cranberry Cream Cheese Icing!!

Man, it was so tasty. The sweetness of the spices with crunch of pecans and carrots, and a wonderful tangy bite of the Cranberries. I have never added anything but some zest to cream cheese icing before, but mm those tangy little berries do some good flavor to it. and I loved the little shots of red coming through the white of it. Not sure if I did this right, but it was fun none the less, and I came up with a yummier way to have carrot cake!!

Ok so I was asked to post this one as well. so here we go..

Cranberry Carrot Cupcakes, with Cranberry Cream Cheese Icing...

3 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp cloves

2 sticks unsalted butter

2 cups sugar

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla sextract

1 can crushed pineapple, about 1 cup

2/3 cup dried, chopped cranberries

2/3 cup chopped pecans

1 cup finely shredded carrots

1. position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 350. 2 cup cake pans with papers.

2. SIft together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg, salt and cloves onto a piece of wax paper and set aside

3. In the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer fitted with the paddle blade, beat the butter on medium speed until it is lighter in color , about 45 seconds. Add the sugar in a steady stream, then stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowls, until the mixture is very light in color and texture, about 3 minutes. One at a time, beat in the eggs, beating well after each addition, then add the vanilla.

4. Reduce the mixer speed to low. Add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with 2 additions of the pineapple. After each addition, beat just until smooth and scrap down the sides of the bowl. Fold in the cranberries, pecans and carrot.

5. scoop by tbsp fulls into prepared cups, fill about 3/4 the way. bake until the tops spring bake and cakes are golden on top, and a toothpic inserted in the centers come out clean. About 15-20 min. ( I baked them closer to the 15, so watch them from that time on. ). Cool on wire rack.

Cranberry Cream Cheese Icing.

1 8oz cude cream cheese, softened at room temp

1/2 cup butter, softened at room temp

about 1 lb of powedered sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup chopped dried cranberries

In a medium sized bowl, beat butter, cream cheese and vanilla until smooth. Slowly add the powedered sugar, you will add more based on your taste of the icing. You want the icing to a nice spreadable consistency. At that point you can stir in the dried cranberries. Spread on your cupcakes =).

Enjoy everyone!!