EASTER CUPCAKES DECORATIONS RECIPES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4 and line the pockets of a muffin tray with muffin cases.
• Beat the sugar, oil and eggs in mixing bowl until smooth, then stir in the grated carrot and, if you like, up to 150g/5½oz chopped nuts, dried fruit, or a mixture of both.
• In a separate bowl combine the flour, baking powder, spices and cocoa so that they're evenly mixed, then tip this into the carrot mixture and stir well.
• Fill the muffin papers to about two-thirds full, then bake for about 25 minutes, or until a skewer poked in comes out almost clean.
• For the frosting, make sure the butter is soft, then, using a whisk or electric mixer, beat it with the cream cheese in a bowl until smooth and light.
• Stir in the icing sugar with a spoon until it begins to come together, then whisk again briefly until light and smooth. Pipe or spoon blobs of the frosting on each cold cupcake. Decorate with sugar-paste carrots or, say for Easter, with mini chocolate Easter eggs.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two cupcake pans with paper liners; set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice; set aside.
• In a large bowl, whisk together both sugars, butter, eggs, and pumpkin puree. Add flour mixture and whisk until smooth.
• Divide batter evenly among liners, filling each about halfway. Bake, rotating pans halfway through, until tops spring back when lightly touched, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely. Decorate with cream cheese frosting and marzipan pumpkins.