Vintage Eats Recipe:  1986 Carrot Cupcakes

Carrot cake may seem to be a seasonal dessert, i.e. the spring when we think of bunnies and carrots and new life.

But, as carrots are readily available and affordable all year, Carrot Cake can be a year-round treat. I’ve never heard of anyone complaining that it is out of season!

While Carrot Cake is in EVERY church/civic group cookbook, I chose this recipe from the 1986 issue of a McCall’s Cooking School binder.

The three-ring binder is part of an impressive three-volume set, each with sections and tabbed index dividers for easy location of a favorite recipe.

The front of this binder had a place for explanation of how it was different from other cookbooks. “It is designed to help cooks keep the ‘Recipages’, (fully-illustrated pages provided for each recipe) in a convenient, orderly place.” I get the impression that Recipages were mailed periodically, although there is no mention of frequency or cost.

The sections for this binder include international specialties, salads, breads, chicken, desserts, and more.

I really like these volumes with detailed instructions and useful color photos demonstrating the steps to make each dish. I have marked so many pages with recipes to try that it might have been easier to mark the ones I don’t plan to make—there are few like that! Each recipe looks great and easy to make.

I purchased three binders at an online auction. They are in perfect condition and so useful that I suspect I’ll share many from each.

This recipe for Carrot Cake is large so I split it into a small cake and cupcakes.  

For the cake I used a collapsible rectangular metal pan with removable bottom (7”x11”x2”). The cupcakes went into paper liners inside standard cupcake pans.

I placed the cake and cupcakes in the oven at the same time, aware of the difference in size for each item. By setting the timer on my phone for 10-minute increments I kept a close eye on each to avoid to prevent overbaking. The cupcakes required approximately 20 minutes, while the cake was done at 30 minutes. Toothpicks stuck in each one’s center helped determine doneness.

After the cake had cooled, the springform pan with drop sides allowed me to push the bottom up and place it and the cake on a baking rack. Then, not having a large cake metal spatula to help with a successful transfer to a silver cardboard cake board, I used the biggest metal spatula I had to slide under the cake at one end and a pastry scraper at the other to lift it to the board.

Success! Note: I don’t know if these utensils would work for a larger cake.

The cupcakes were easier to handle, but took a long time to frost. A dusting of orange and yellow sprinkles on top completed the festive look of my baked items.

As I like to do with baked goods, I gave them away. The small cake went to a law enforcement agency, while cupcakes were offered to ladies in my Bible Study and other friends.

I have to admit, I was pretty proud of myself. I’ve not made a cake in a springform pan, nor cupcakes in a long while. I balanced baking times in the oven – this was slightly terrifying as I thought for sure one would be burnt! And this was the first cake board I had used to offer a baked good. It felt pretty official!

I hope you try this luscious Carrot Cake for a gathering. It will be a dessert that lasts long in the memory.

Enjoy!

My Notes:  

1. If no orange peel is available, substitute with lemon peel and visa versa.
2. If no orange juice is available, substitute with lemon juice and visa versa.
3. I deleted the nuts due to choice and because I would be sharing this cake with others.
4. I used a wonderful buttercream frosting purchased from Walmart. It is delicious and easy to spread.

1986 Carrot Cupcakes

3 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon salt

1 pound carrots, grated (4 cups)—mine came from a Farmer’s Market

1 cup butter

1 cup light brown sugar, packed

1 cup white sugar

4 eggs

2 tablespoons grated lemon peel

2 tablespoons grated orange peel

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons orange juice

1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts (optional)

1 cup raisins (optional)

Cream cheese glaze:

1 package (8 ounce) cream cheese, soft         

1 teaspoon grated lemon peel

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1.5 cup powdered sugar                           

½ cup coarsely chopped walnuts

1. Lightly greased and flour 10×4” tube pan (or whatever type of pan you choose).
2. Sift flour with baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; set aside.
3. Wash and pare carrots before grating in food processor to equal four cups.
4. Preheat oven 350 degrees.
5. In large mix bowl beat butter and brown and white sugars at high speed. Scrape sides of bowl until light and fluffy –about 4 minutes.
6. Add eggs, one at time; beat well after each addition until smooth and light.
7. In measuring cup combine lemon and orange peels and juices.
8. At low speed beat in flour mix, alternately with lemon-orange mix, beginning and ending with flour mix.
9. Beat just until smooth—about 1 minute.
10. With wooden spoon stir in grated carrots, nuts and raisins; mix well.
11. Turn into prepared tube pan; spread evenly.
12. Bake 60 minutes or until cake tester inserted in center of cake comes out clean.
13. Cool in pan on wire rack 20 minutes to cool slightly
14. Make cream cheese glaze:
15. In medium bowl combine cream cheese, lemon juice, lemon peel and powdered sugar.
16. Beat mix until smooth. Set aside.
17. Gently loosen edge of cake with spatula.
18. Turn out of pan onto rack.
19. Spread glaze over top of warm cake, letting it run down side of cake.
20. Carefully remove cake to cake platter.
21. Sprinkle chopped walnuts around top edge of cake.

Yield: 12 servings

Keeps well stored in tightly covered cake tin.