Makes 24 cupcakes.
Ingredients:
2 Cups Granulated Sugar
1-1/3 Cups Vegetable Oil
3 Extra-large eggs, room temperature
1 Teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
1-1/2 Cups Plus 1 Tablespoon All-purpose Flour, divided
2 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
2 Teaspoons Baking Soda’1-1/2 Teaspoons Kosher Salt
1 Cup Raisins
1 Cup Walnuts, Chopped
1 Pound Carrots, Grated
½ Cup Carrots, Grated
½ Cup Fresh Pineapple, Diced
48 Small Candied Easter Malt Balls, assorted colors
24 Yellow Chick Peeps
24 White Airhead Candy
Green Coconut Grass, recipe follows
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Butter 2 8-inch round cake pans. Line with parchment paper, then butter and flour the pans.
With an electric mixer, beat the sugar, oil and eggs.
Add the vanilla.
In another bowl, sift together 1-1/2 cups flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.
Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients.
Toss the raisins and walnuts with 1 tablespoon flour.
Fold in the carrots and pineapple and mix well.
Evenly pour the batter into prepared cups, filling them ¾ of the way full. Bake until the cakes are just firm and spring back when gently pressed, and the tops are golden, 18 to 25 minutes.
Allow cakes to cool completely in the pans set over a wire rack.
When cool, frost each cupcake with choice of frosting (recipes below).
Press a circle of coconut grass (recipe below) on top.
Gently press the peep onto the center of the grass
Cut the white Airhead into a ½ oval shape; trim one side so it has a cracked egg jagged edge. Place egg tightly against front and sides of peep.
Nestle the malted eggs on top of the grass.
Very Spreadable Light Blue Fluffy Frosting:
Ingredients:
6 Cups Confectioners’ Sugar, sifted
3 Sticks (12 ounces) Unsalted Butter, at room temperature
Pinch Fine Salt
1 Tablespoon Pure Vanilla Extract
6 Drops Blue Food Coloring
2 to 3 Tablespoons Milk (or more until very spreadable)
Directions:
Beat sugar, butter, and salt with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
Add vanilla and blue food coloring, and mix well.
Add milk and beat until light and fluffy.
Traditional Cream Cheese Frosting:
Download recipe here