Carrot cake cupcakes with ginger cream cheese frosting

On Saturday, a bride-to-be and her fiancé came for a cake tasting.  The two of them are very keen on carrot cake, and they also wanted me to incorporate some ginger in the cake in whatever way i can.  So, with a bit of time on my hands, i experimented with a few different combinations....




I have only one recipe for carrot cake and have no desire to look for another as i think that is just perfect as it is.  It is beautifully balanced, moist and scrumptious.  For my carrot cake recipe click here  For the little bit of ginger in the sponge, i added 10 ml of ground ginger, sifting it with the flour, before adding to the batter.  

For the ginger-infused cream cheese frosting:
400g cream cheese
150 g butter, unsalted
200g castor sugar
1 tablespoon glace ginger, finely chopped
1 tablespoon ginger liqueur

With the whisk attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter together until light and smooth.  Add the sugar and beat until fluffy.  Add the ginger and give one more little beat until combined.  Place into your piping bag and awaaaay you go!  For an extra little gingery zing, i sprinkled some finely chopped glace ginger over the frosting... and, of course, a bit of fairy dust. just 'cos i can, and 'cos i ♥ sparkly things!