Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup cocoa powder, such as Valrhona
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups organic sugar
• 1 cup organic milk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 organic eggs
• 1 organic egg yolk
• 1 cup boiling water
• 3/4 cup full-fat cream cheese
• 1/2 cup fresh organic carrot juice
• 1/3 cup light brown muscovado sugar
• 9 ounces white chocolate, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon organic ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon organic ground ginger
• 2 cups organic heavy cream
• 2 ounces organic sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon organic cayenne pepper
• 18 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 2 ounces unsalted organic butter
• Cayenne pepper, for garnish
• Marzipan carrots, for garnish

Browse by ingredient

Instructions

1. For the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line 2 cupcake pans with paper liners. Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt together into a bowl. Whisk together the sugar, milk, oil, vanilla, eggs and egg yolk. Whisk into the dry ingredients slowly, followed by the boiling water, just to combine.
2. Pour into the cupcake pans and bake for about 18 minutes. Let cool completely.
3. For the carrot ganache: Whisk together the cream cheese, carrot juice and sugar in a large saucepan until smooth. Place over low heat until just boiling.
4. Place the white chocolate in a large bowl and pour the hot carrot mixture over. Mix well until all the chocolate has melted. Stir in the cinnamon, vanilla and ginger. Let cool.
5. For the chocolate ganache: Combine the cream, sugar and cayenne in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Combine the chocolate and butter in a bowl. Whisk the hot cream into the chocolate until smooth, then cover with plastic wrap.
6. For assembly: Use a melon baller to scoop out the center of each cupcake and fill with carrot ganache. Frost with the chocolate ganache and sprinkle each cupcake with some cayenne pepper. Garnish with a marzipan carrot.