Wedding Cupcakes

Here is the wedding cupcake recipe.

Ingredients

For the cupcakes

• 1 lb carrots, finely grated
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/3 cup buttermilk
• 1 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise
• 1/2 cup golden raisins
• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/8 tsp ground cloves

For the frosting

• 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/2 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract

For assembly

• 3 lb rolled fondant
• Silver pearl dust
• 84 edible cake jewels

Directions

Credits: Sara's Cooking Class: Wedding Cupcakes game

1. Preheat oven to 325 degress Farenheit and fill muffin tray with cupcake liners.
2. To make cake batter, whisk together carrots, eggs, sugar, oil, buttermilk, vanilla-bean seeds, and raisins. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, and spices. Stir flour mixture into carrot mixture until well-combined.
3. Pour batter into cupcake liners, divide evenly (each should be about 3/4 inch full). Bake in a pre-heated oven until toothpick inserted comes out clean (around 23-28 minutes). Let tray cool on a wire rack for around 10 minutes. Remove cupcakes (with liners) from tray and cool completely.
4. To make the frosting, beat the cream cheese, butter, and 1/4 cup of the powdered sugar. Continue to beat while adding remaining sugar, 1/4 cup at a time. Add vanilla and beat until fluffy (about 5 minutes).
5. To assemble a cupcake, spoon 1 teaspoon of frosting to the top of a cupcake—do not spread to edges! Roll out fondant to 1/2 inch thickness, and cut out a 2-inch circle. Gently place fondant over frosting, making a pillowy shape. With a knife, cut a 3/4 slit in fondant.
6. Form a ring by rolling a small piece of fondant into a cord about 1 1/2 inches long and 1/16 inch thick. Brush fondant cord with pearl dust and form a horseshoe shape. Place curved side in slit in format, and let set for 10 minutes.
7. Trim tiny dry tips from open edges of the ring to create flat edges. Lightly moisten ring to create a more sparkly finish, set jewel carefully in place, and let dry. Repeat for remaining cupcakes.