Cupcakes!

A classic dessert, and though many might argue a bit over played lately, still, one of my favorites. I decided to make plain vanilla and carrot cake. First, the vanilla. The use of freshly ground cinnamon-using a coffee grinder, as well as the vanilla paste made such a difference, the cake was distinctly spicy. Using egg whites and beating them with the sugar before folding into the batter made the resulting cake very light. This is one of my favorite cupcake batters I've tried, even compared to my favorite at chikalicious in New York City.

The carrot cake called for shaved carrots and chopped toasted walnuts, Alex was nice enough to microplane cut some extra colored carrots he was using to pickle (result shown below). I really liked this cake too, but it didn't "wow" me the way the vanilla cake did, though I would make it again.
Below the prepared batter ready for the oven. Since I didn't want to bake the usual 12 or 24 I opted to use my Le Creuset silicone individual cupcake molds.
The finished product! Starting from the top left and going clockwise; carrot cake with grand marnier buttercream, vanilla with grand marnier, carrot with vanilla, vanilla with honey, carrot with beet, and plain vanilla.
The beet was surprisingly good! Not overpowering and added a great color. Very happy with the result!

Tomorrow-hoping my sourdough culture is working and if not, trouble shooting...