Carrot & Orange Tea Cakes

Whether you’re looking for something to serve with afternoon tea or just want a light and bright sweet treat, these Carrot & Orange Tea Cakes are for you! These buttery mini cakes are lightly flavored with orange and carrot for times you want more subtlety than a traditional carrot cake. And the orange cream cheese icing adds a touch of tang and sweetness. No fancy equipment needed, these tea cakes are baked in a traditional cupcake pan.

Mix the Cake Batter

Prepare the cake batter by following these steps:

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat softened butter on medium speed until smooth. Add granulated sugar and orange zest and continue to mix until light and fluffy.

3. Add 3 eggs and mix until combined.

4. Add Greek yogurt, orange juice, and vanilla and continue to mix until combined. The mixture may appear a bit curdled, but that is okay and will go away when you add the dry ingredients.

5. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined.

6. Fold in freshly shredded carrots.

Bake the Cakes

Brush the wells of a 12-count cupcake pan with softened butter. Transfer the cake batter to the cupcake pan, filling the wells about 3/4 of the way full. You can use a large cookie scoop for ease of transfer and uniformity.

Use the back of a spoon or an offset spatula to spread out the batter to evenly fill the wells.

Bake at 350°F for 18-20 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean of crumbs. Allow the cakes to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Once cooled, use a serrated knife to cut off any domed tops of the cupcakes so they sit flat when you flip them over. Flip them so they are sitting on the flat tops, like in the image below.

Make the Icing

To make the orange cream cheese icing, simply whisk together softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, orange juice, and orange zest until smooth. Use a spoon to pour the icing over the cakes, allowing it to slightly drip down the sides, like in the image below. The icing will set over time.

Store leftover cakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.

Yield: 12

Author: Laura's Bake Lab

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Carrot & Orange Tea Cakes

Buttery mini cakes lightly flavored with carrot and orange and topped with an orange cream cheese icing.

Prep time: 20 MinCook time: 20 MinInactive time: 10 MinTotal time: 50 Min

Ingredients

Cake

• 1 and 3/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature + 1 Tbsp for greasing the pan
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 Tbsp orange zest
• 3 eggs, room temperature
• 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt, room temperature
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup finely grated carrots

Icing

• 4 oz cream cheese, soft
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 Tbsp orange juice
• 1 Tbsp orange zest

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Brush a 12-count cupcake pan with softened butter.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the softened butter on medium speed until smooth. Add the granulated sugar and orange zest and continue to mix until light and fluffy.
4. Add the eggs and mix until combined.
5. Add the Greek yogurt, orange juice, and vanilla and continue to mix until combined. The mixture may appear a bit curdled, but that is okay and will go away when you add the dry ingredients.
6. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Fold in the shredded carrots.
7. Transfer the batter to the cupcake pan, filling the wells about 3/4 of the way full. You can use a large cookie scoop for ease of transfer and uniformity. Use the back of a spoon or an offset spatula to spread out the batter to evenly fill the wells.
8. Bake for 18-20 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean of crumbs. Allow the cakes to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
9. Use a serrated knife to cut off any domed tops of the cupcakes so they sit flat when you flip them over. Flip them so they are sitting on the flat tops.
10. Make the icing: In a small bowl, whisk the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, orange juice, and orange zest until smooth.
11. Use a spoon to pour the icing over the cakes, allowing it to slightly drip down the sides.
12. Store leftover cakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.

https://www.laurasbakelab.com/blog/carrot-orange-tea-cakes

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