HYDRANGEA FLOWER CARROT CAKE CUPCAKES

HYDRANGEA FLOWER 
CARROT CAKE CUPCAKES
INGREDIENTS
2 cups allpurpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
12 teaspoon baking soda
34 teaspoon cinnamon
34 teaspoon salt
1 cup canola oil
12 cup buttermilk
2 large eggs
34 cup granulated sugar
13 cup light brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup grated carrots
Mascarpone Frosting
8 ounces mascarpone or cream cheese softened
2 sticks 1 cup salted butter softened
23 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup freezedried strawberries or raspberries ground until a fine powder

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 18 muffin tins with paper liners.
2. In a large bowl mix together the flour baking powder baking soda cinnamon and salt.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer or use a handheld mixer beat together the canola oil buttermilk eggs sugar brown sugar and vanilla until smooth. Beat in the carrots. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients with the mixer on low until there are no longer any clumps of flour. Batter should be pourable but not super thin.
4. Pour the batter among the muffin tins and bake 1518 minutes until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove and let cool completely before frosting.
5. To make the frosting add the mascarpone and butter to a large mixing bowl. Using an electric mixer beat until the mixture is light and fluffy about 2 minutes. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat another 24 minutes or until the frosting is light and fluffy. Beat in the strawberry powder or raspberry powder. If desired you can divide the frosting between 23 bowls and color each a slightly different color for an ombre effect.
6. Spoon the frosting into a piping bag fit with a star tip the one below was made with a 1M Wilton tip. Pipe around the edge of the cupcake and work your way in. Repeat with the remaining cupcakes.