my carrot cupcakes

Today I tried making carrot cupcakes. It sure took a lot of time and effort..Grating carrots, jucing oranges to get the juice to soak raisins in....and of course the usual of making the batter and frosting. Took me about 4 hours to make 23 cupcakes.

Of course, they didn't taste as nice as when I made them at Palate Sensations under the supervision of a chef. I think I know what is the problem with them, and what caused them to be harder on top, yet still moist below.

Anyway, I made the cream cheese frosting. I had decided not to pipe carrots like before, because I do not have green food colouring (for the carrot stem). I thought I had orange colouring only. But when I started to add the colouring, I realised it was yellow and not orange. Goodness, really good thing I did not intend to pipe carrots!

The yellow was not going to be obvious against the rest of the white cream cheese, so I simply added a few drops of blue. Lo and behold! They turn out to be a nice green!

I piped some flowers and it was not easy. The tip was a bit not right and the flowers din turn out proportionate, but piping really need some practice.

The ones below are the more photogenic ones. See the one which has many piped flowers on top? Mum says it looks like a cactus. haha!

My cupcakes!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm back! OMGoodness, I am bouncing with excitement. I was about to take more pics of my cupcakes when the battery of my digital camera ran out...I will let it charge for 5min and then take more pics...though I have already taken quite a few during the class.

The class was fun! It was like a dream came true, or rather it was like living in my dreams!

Working on a big island kitchen top, with blocks of professional expensive knives, using Kitchenaid (OMG...I can't get more excited than using this...I have always yearn for it...will buy one for myself one of these days when I have saved $749)..using Scanpan pots, silicon bakeware (you know how expensive these are??), under light jazzy music, in rainy weather where the pitter-pattering of the raindrops make you float in a light romantic mood. It was nothing to complain about. Ok, maybe I am overdramatizing it...but how often now do I come back and blog about something that has just happened??

When I drove back, I was careful to drive slowly, especially when going over humps and bumps, so that the frosting on the cupcakes will still be pretty when I reach home. Ok, it is not much compared to those made by professionals, but I am really glad at the outcome. Only thing is, I think there are not enough cupcakes for me. I brought back 18 cupcakes, 6 Opera ones (with chocolate flowing from inside) and 8 Carrot with cream cheese frosting.

I loved every minute of it. From the mixing of ingredients, whipping, piping (especially excited at this, since I have always wanted to try at home)..to trying to steal secrets out from the teacher.

Just this morning, my dad asked my mum what's up with me, and I going to open a bakery? I hope so, but not up to mark yet. Maybe it's my calling..haha!

Bear with the for the number of pictures, I am totally thrilled. The joy of the baking process is always greater than the anticipation of eating it.

filling with chocolate ganache

all topped with frosting

my group and our cupcakes..mine's the tray in the middle

you don't always see my face in my blog, but here goes..beaming with joy

closer look at my carrots..

all home safely, looking pretty...ok beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder..

see the chocolate inside...the moist part..

my carrot!! ok, think you get the idea..