Carrot Cupcakes with Lavender Honey Frosting

BELIEVE IT OR NOT BUT EASTER IS RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER SO OF COURSE I HAVE TO MAKE SOME DELICIOUS EASTER DESSERTS! RECENTLY I WAS GIVEN ABSOLUTELY COOL AND BEAUTIFUL MARY & MARTHA PAPER BAKEWARE FROM MY FRIEND TAMMY SO NATURALLY I HAD TO THINK OF SOMETHING TO BAKE IN THEM.  THERE ARE A FEW DIFFERENT COLOR COMBOS WITH THIS BAKEWARE BUT I ASKED FOR THE ORANGE/PURPLE/GRAY SET BECAUSE I WANTED TO MAKE SOMETHING WITH CARROTS FOR EASTER =)

ALSO FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO KNOW ME, KNOW THAT I LOVE ORANGE AND PURPLE TOGETHER SO THAT SET WAS PERFECT FOR ME! MY WEDDING COLORS WERE ORANGE BECAUSE IT'S RYAN'S FAVORITE COLOR AND GREEN AND PURPLE BECAUSE THOSE WERE MY FAVORITE COLORS. (MY TASTE HAS CHANGED OVER THE YEARS THOUGH AND NOW I REALLY ONLY LIKE GREEN AS A FAVE COLOR BUT NOT JUST ANY KIND OF GREEN... I LIKE THE YELLOW-Y GREEN LIKE CITRINE OR CHARTREUSE TO BE EXACT, HAHA.) ANYWAYYYYYS, BELOW IS A PICTURE OF THIS BEAUTIFUL AFGHAN THAT MISS CHRIS (A LADY I KNOW FROM MAIN STREET BAPTIST CHURCH) MADE FOR US AS A WEDDING GIFT. SHE KNEW WE LOVED ORANGE, PURPLE AND GREEN SO IT WAS SUCH A SWEET AND THOUGHTFUL GIFT AND IS DEFINITELY MY ALL TIME FAVORITE BLANKET! JUST THOUGHT I WOULD SHARE =)

BACK TO THE BEAUTIFUL BAKEWARE... AS I WAS THINKING OF WHAT I COULD MAKE IN THESE FOR EASTER I THOUGHT OF AN UNUSAL PAIRING. CARROTS OF COURSE FOR THE ORANGE AND THEN I THOUGHT MAYBE USING LAVENDER (LIKE THE DRIED FLOWER) WOULD BE DIFFERENT AND FUN. I WAS A LITTLE NERVOUS EXPERIMENTING AT FIRST BECAUSE I LOOKED ONLINE TO SEE IF CARROTS AND LAVENDER WAS A COMMON DESSERT COMBO BUT I COULDN'T FIND ANY RECIPES REALLY. I DECIDED TO GO AHEAD WITH IT ANYWAYS AND WAS GLAD I DID! I CAME UP WITH A RECIPE TO MAKE CARROT CUPCAKES WITH LAVENDER HONEY CREAM CHEESE FROSTING. (FOR THE RECIPE SCROLL DOWN) THEY REALLY TURNED OUT SO DELICIOUS!

MY FRIEND TAMMY WHO IS A CONSULTANT FROM MARY & MARTHA GAVE ME OTHER BEAUTIFUL M&M PRODUCTS SO I COULD DO A FUN PHOTO SHOOT WITH THEM. IF YOU NEVER HAVE HEARD OF MARY & MARTHA YOU REALLY SHOULD LOOK INTO IT BECAUSE EVERYTHING THEY MAKE IS SO GOSH DARN LOVELY!  THE PAPER BAKEWARE WAS ALSO A TON OF FUN BAKING IN AND SO EASY AND CUTE! THEY COME IN DIFFERENT SHAPES, SIZES AND COLORS AND CAN BE HEATED UP TO 400 DEGREES! AS YOU SCROLL THROUGH THE PICTURES YOU WILL SEE ALL THE OTHER  GORGEOUS PRODUCTS AS WELL. THE BREAD BOARD AND TEA TOWEL IS A DEFINITE FAVE OF MINE. I AM A SUCKER FOR SOME GOOD LETTERING AND THE THESE BOTH SHOWCASE THE AMAZING ARTWORK BY LINDSEY LETTERS! THE WHITE CERAMIC MUGS, PITCHER AND CAKE STAND ARE JUST DARLING TOO AND THEY HAVE A LOT MORE ITEMS FROM THAT SAME COLLECTION. WOULDN'T THEY BE GREAT FOR A BIG EASTER DINNER!? I ALSO LOVE THE SUPER CUTE HONEY POT AND THE PRETTY JUTE TABLE RUNNER! OH AND OF COURSE I LOVE THE CHALKBOARD! THEY HAVE SO MUCH MORE TO OFFER TOO SO I TOTALLY RECOMMEND CHECKING TAMMY'S WEBSITE OUT AND BOOKING A PARTY WITH HER IF YOU CAN! THE SPECIAL FOR THE MONTH OF APRIL ARE CUTE JOURNALS THAT ARE ONLY AVAILABLE IN APRIL! YOU CAN VIEW THAT SPECIAL HERE.

SO IF YOU WANT TO BOOK A PARTY YOU CAN EMAIL HER AT LOVEMARYNMARTHA@GMAIL.COM OR YOU CAN CALL HER AT 607-431-8517. ENJOY ALL THE PICTURES AND MAKE SURE YOU CHECK OUT THE RECIPE FOR THE DELICIOUS CUPCAKES BELOW!

BECAUSE I WAS DOING A FULL PHOTO SHOOT I DECIDED TO GO ALL OUT AND TRY MY HAND AT MAKING MACARONS FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER SO I COULD HAVE MORE LOVELY ORANGE AND LAVENDER TREATS! I HAVE BEEN WANTING TO MAKE THESE FOR A LONG TIME BUT HAVE BEEN INTIMIDATED BY THE PROCESS AND PRICEY INGREDIENTS. THEY DEFINITELY WERE VERY TEDIOUS TO MAKE AND CERTAINLY LOOK HOMEMADE BUT LET ME TELL YOU THEY WERE DELICIOUS! I HOPE TO MAKE MORE THIS COMING WEEKEND! =) THE RECIPE I FOLLOWED, I FOUND HERE. THE ONLY THING I SUGGEST DOING DIFFERENTLY IS ADD THE COLOR BEFORE YOU START WHIPPING THE EGG WHITES! TRUST ME!  =)

CARROT CUPCAKES WITH LAVENDER HONEY FROSTING

INGREDIENTS:

4 EGGS

3/4 CUP VEGETABLE OIL

1/2 CUP APPLE SAUCE

1 CUP SUGAR

1 CUP BROWN SUGAR

1 8-OZ. CAN OF CRUSHED PINEAPPLES, DRAINED

2 TEASPOONS VANILLA EXTRACT

2 CUPS FLOUR

2 TEASPOONS BAKING SODA

2 TEASPOONS BAKING POWDER

1/2 TEASPOON SALT

2 TEASPOONS GROUND CINNAMON

1/4 TEASPOON GROUND NUTMEG

SMALL PINCH OF GROUND CLOVES

3 CUPS GRATED CARROTS

1 CUP SWEETENED COCONUT FLAKES

FROSTING:

1 8-OZ. CREAM CHEESE SOFTENED

2 TABLESPOONS BUTTER SOFTENED

2 CUPS POWDERED SUGAR

1/2 CUP HONEY

1 DROP OF LAVENDER OIL

1/2 TEASPOON VANILLA

3/4 TEASPOON CINNAMON

MILK AS NEEDED

2 TEASPOONS DRIED LAVENDER FOR GARNISH

PECANS OR WALNUTS FOR GARNISH

NOTE: SERIOUSLY ONLY USE ONE DROP OF LAVENDER OIL! IT GOES A LOOOONG WAY! I BOUGHT MINE FROM THE LOCAL HEALTH FOOD STORE. IT ACTUALLY SAYS ON THE BOTTLE FOR EXTERNAL USE ONLY, HAHA. BUT I SPOKE TO THE MANAGER AT THE HEALTH FOOD STORE AND HE TOLD ME (UNDER HIS BREATH) THAT I CAN CONSUME VERY SMALL DOSES AT A TIME, LOL. I ATE A COUPLE OF THESE CUPCAKES AND I WAS FINE SO I PROMISE IT WON'T KILL YOU! =) 

DIRECTIONS:

PREHEAT OVEN TO 350 DEGREES. IN A LARGE BOWL, BEAT TOGETHER EGGS, APPLE SAUCE, OIL, SUGARS, PINEAPPLE AND VANILLA. MIX TOGETHER FLOUR, BAKING SODA, BAKING POWDER, SALT, CINNAMON, NUTMEG AND A PINCH OF CLOVES. STIR IN THE CARROTS AND COCONUT FLAKES. LINE A MUFFIN TIN WITH CUPCAKE WRAPPERS OR USE THE CUTE AND EASY BAKEWARE FROM MARY & MARTHA! FILL EACH LINER 3/4 FULL. BAKE IN PREHEATED OVEN FOR 18-20 MIN. LET CUPCAKES COOL COMPLETELY BEFORE FROSTING.

FROSTING:

IN A MEDIUM BOWL COMBINE BUTTER, CREAM CHEESE, POWDER SUGAR, HONEY, VANILLA, CINNAMON AND ONE TINY DROP OF LAVENDER OIL. BEAT UNTIL THE MIXTURE IS SMOOTH AND CREAMY. ADD MILK AS NEEDED. TOP WITH DRIED LAVENDER AND CHOPPED WALNUTS OR PECANS!

ENJOY!