Butter.
My sister had surgery on her thyroid this week. They needed to remove half of it which, I know, sounds scary and awful. She's been reassured that the body's symmetry is pretty amazing and the other half is sure to pick up and take over. If she responds to this surgery like the vast majority of people her biggest worry will be the scar on her neck. Not pleasant at first but sure to fade with time, like most scars. I've been telling her that she can make up stories in the meantime involving knife fights and safaris gone wrong depending on her audience.
All that's to say, my mom is in town and we've been cooking Katie's favorite foods as part of her recovery week. Above is the butter from yesterday's carrot cake cupcakes with cream cheese frosting. We're spoiling her immensely this week.
recipe from Ina Garten
2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/3 cups vegetable oil
3 extra-large eggs at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour plus 1 tablespoon
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 pound carrots, grated
1 cup raisins
1 cup chopped walnuts
Cream Cheese Frosting
3/4 pound cream cheese at room temperature
1/2 pound unsalted butter at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 pound confectioners’ sugar, sieve |
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line muffin pans with paper liners.
Beat the sugar, oil, and eggs together in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light yellow. Add the vanilla. In another bowl, sift together 2 cups flour, the cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.
Add the 1/2 of the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Toss the carrots, raisins, and walnuts with 1 tablespoon flour. Add the remaining dry ingredients. Mix well.
Scoop the batter into the muffin cups until each is almost full. Bake for 10 minutes, then lower the oven to 350 degrees and bake for 35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool on a wire rack.
For the frosting, mix the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until just combined. Add the sugar and mix until smooth. Frost cooled cupcakes.
