Spring! It’s finally here! What better way to celebrate than to bake deliciously moist, flavorful carrot cupcakes topped with decadent whipped cream cheese frosting? Bugs Bunny would be the first to agree that this is the perfect dessert to serve at your Easter brunch or dinner this Sunday. After all, a person can only eat so many peeps and jelly beans before hitting a sugar–wall. Why not serve up a proven dessert legacy that’s sure to tickle the taste buds of young and old alike?

But first, let’s see what has been popping up around Casa Wine Imbiber now that spring has finally sprung. When we attended the Annual Vintners’ Festivals in Santa Barbara in April 2008 and 2009, we received starter grapevines that we’ve since cultivated in various spots around our yard. We have two Gewürztraminers, one Grenache Noir and one Pinot Noir growing on an arched trellis that is saddling 2 old wine barrel planters (how appropriate!) on the side yard. In the back yard, we have four more Grenache vines growing espalier–style across a garden wall. It’s amazing to see how quickly they produce grapes.

Growing near the grapevines on the side yard is our beloved Meyer lemon tree. I learned something new about our tree this year while doing our Lemon LoveFest event. Apparently, Meyer lemon trees can have different growing seasons. Some varieties only produce lemons from November through April, while others (like ours) have two seasons. Our tree still has lemons on it from its winter growing season, but now it is in full bloom with the summer season’s crop. I never really paid much attention to the beautiful flowers lemon trees produce until I got up close and personal with my macro lens this year. They look like mini orchids, and their fragrance…heavenly!

You’d think we only care about wine grapes and Meyer lemons around here. Not true! We have a large variety of things, including a new blueberry plant that actually managed to keep some of its berries after the torrential winter downpours. The strawberry plants are just beginning to produce flowers and the herbs are going crazy with growth. Lemon balm, apple mint, regular mint…not sure what I’m going to do with all of it, but at least they will smell good while I’m trying to decide!

I also found some really strange flowers growing in, of all places, our living room. They don’t smell as good as most flowers do, and they have really hairy stalks. Maybe they’re weeds. And just maybe I’ve lost my mind (most likely). My kids already think I’m nuts for buying spring headgear for the dogs. Our dogs just might happen to have more holiday costumes than say, Paris Hilton’s chihuahua, but at least I don’t behave like one of these people. {Our dogs at least are alive!}

The recipes for Carrot Cupcakes with Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting are from allrecipes.com. I used Sam’s Famous Carrot Cake and adjusted the baking time for cupcakes. The Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting is perfect for these, though I’ve also used other cream cheese frosting recipes from the same website that also work nicely. Note: Be sure to read the first couple of reviews for important tips on achieving a good piping consistency for the frosting.

Happy Easter Eatin’!
 
WI wine recommendation: Champagne—it’s Easter!
 

Sam’s Famous Carrot Cake with Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting
(from allrecipes.com)
 
Sam’s Famous Carrot Cake

Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting

 |  Comment RSS
Filed Under: Blogs, Champagne, Food, Holidays