I have a passion for fusion flavors, and I especially love creating East-meets-West desserts. Boy do I have an amazing recipe to share with you!
I have a whole list of fusion flavor combinations going, and I’ve had the idea for a Gajar ka Halwa Cupcake (if you’re unaware of what Gajar ka Halwa is, see my post for it HERE) churning for quite some time. The combination of carrots and cardamom goes so well together, so it’s only bound to be fantastic in cupcake form. The base of the cupcakes is light and moist, and speckled with just the right amount of cardamom. They’re topped with a lightly sweetened whipped mascarpone cream (no buttercream here because that would weigh down the flavors) which is reminiscent of the khoya (milk solids) that gajar ka halwa is so often adorned with.
Enjoy!
Gajar ka Halwa Cupcakes
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 1 pound carrots, peeled and shredded
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1¼ teaspoons ground cardamom
- 1¼ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup packed brown sugar, light or dark
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup neutral flavored oil
Frosting
- 8 ounces mascarpone cheese, cold
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream, cold
Garnish
- Crushed or sliced nuts
- Edible dried rose petals
Instructions
Prepare Cupcakes
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Preheat oven to 350°F and set aside cupcake pans filled with liners.
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In a large bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, cardamom, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
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In the bowl of a mixer, whisk together granulated sugar, brown sugar, and eggs. Add oil and whisk until the mixture is light in color and thoroughly combined, about 1 minutes.
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Gently fold in shredded carrots and prepared flour mixture, taking care not to overmix. Transfer batter to prepared cupcake pans, filling ¾-way, and bake until an inserted toothpick near the center comes out clean, about 17 to 20 minutes. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Prepare Frosting
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In a large bowl, whip mascarpone cheese, powdered sugar, and cardamom on medium-high speed, using a whisk attachment, until fluffy smooth, about 2 minutes.
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With the mixer running on medium speed, slowly drizzle in heavy whipping cream. Wipe down the sides of the bowl as needed, and whip until soft peaks form. Increase speed to medium-high and whisk until stiff peaks form, about 3 to 5 minutes.
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Pipe or frost cupcakes as desired. Garnish with nuts and dried rose.
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Leftovers can be kept refrigerated in an airtight container for up to three days.
Cupcake recipe adapted from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe.
Delicious. Different. Good kind of fusion!
Randa, waking up to see your comment here made my heart so full <3 Thank you for your kind words, and thank you for trying the recipe!
Hi! Can a vanilla cupcake mix be utilized with incorporation of carrots & cardamom?
Hello! I haven’t tried that myself, and I’m not confident that it would work here.
Can this recipe be used to make a layer cake? If so what size pans?
Yes, you can bake it in a 9×13 rectangle pan, or two 9-inch circle pans.