“This post is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group® and Armour Premium All Natural Lard, but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #ArmourPremiumLard http://my-disclosur.es/OBsstV”
My girls are huge cupcake lovers. But as much as they love cupcakes, I know that cupcakes can sometimes not be the healthiest of all snack options for them. So, enter Armour Premium All-Natural Lard.
So, back in the fall, I made mini spiced pumpkin cupcakes. They were a bit healthier cupcake option having pumpkin as an ingredient, as well as, miniature size for better portion control.
But pumpkin is truly a fall vegetable. Fall is indeed long behind us right now. We are happily heading full steam into spring time now.
Make no mistake, cupcakes though still are a preferred snack choice here for my girls.
However, I was opting for a healthier spring cupcake version.
That is when I thought what about mini carrot cake cupcakes. Again that fun miniature sized portion. But this time out using carrots instead of pumpkin. Plus, I recently happened upon Armour Premium All-Natural Lard when I was recently shopping at my local Walmart. I actually found Armour Premium All-Natural Lard in the baking aisle at my local Walmart.
What is Armour Premium All-Natural Lard?
Armour Premium All-Natural Lard is actually one of the healthiest fats to cook with! See I know lard isn’t a very pretty word. But Armour Premium All-Natural Lard actually has zero trans fats. I mean it even has less saturated fat than butter and no trans fat like shortening. It also has heart-healthy monounsaturated fats. Plus, it even lowers LDL cholesterol, because of heart-healthy monounsaturated fats.
On top of this, Armour Premium All-Natural Lard is gluten free. And it is versatile in the kitchen as it can be used for baking, frying, and/or sautéing. See it can be used to make all sorts of gorgeous and healthy recipes.
So, I thought way not give Armour Premium All-Natural Lard a try.
Therefore, I used it for my mini carrot cake cupcakes instead of oil. See Lard is flavorless so it didn’t change up the flavor in my cupcake recipe!
But back to the delectable mini carrot cake cupcakes recipe…
[clickToTweet tweet=”Looking for the perfect sweet treat this spring? Then, check out my mini cupcake recipe with carrot cake and cream cheese icing, too! @walmart #ArmourPremiumLard #Pmedia #ad” quote=”Looking for the perfect sweet treat this spring? Then, check out my mini cupcake recipe with carrot cake and cream cheese icing, too! @walmart #ArmourPremiumLard #Pmedia #ad” theme=”style1″]
Do you want to make scrumptious, but healthier mini carrot cupcakes for your family now, too?
Then read onto to get the recipe now:
Mini Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe
Mini Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
These are the best carrot cake cupcakes with cream cheese frosting with just a healthier touch added to them! They are seriously perfect any time of the day!
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ginger
- 1/4 cup Armour Premium All-Natural Lard
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
- 2 Eggs
- 3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups shaved carrots
Cream cheese frosting:
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350° and line and a miniature cupcake pan with miniature cupcake liners.
- In a large mixing bowl combine your brown sugar and granulated sugar and mix well.
- Mix in your applesauce and milk.
- Mix in your lard and softened butter.
- Mix in your eggs one at a time.
- Separate mixing bowl combine your flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger.
- Pour your flour mixture into your wet ingredients and mix well.
- Fill each baking cup up halfway with your carrot cake batter and bake for 10 minutes.
Frosting:
- Combine your softened cream cheese and softened butter in a large mixing bowl and beat until creamy.
- Mix in your vanilla extract.
- Mix in your powdered sugar 1 cup at a time until you have the consistency and taste you would like.
- Scoop into a frosting bag and frost your cupcakes.
Notes
If you are like me and love cream cheese frosting, then you will need to double the frosting amount.
There you have with the perfect, spring healthier carrot cake mini cupcake recipe that all (even picky eaters) will be begging for more! Thanks in part to Armour Premium All-Natural Lard.
What are your favorite healthier snacks for the spring time?
Now tell me in the comments…
Meredith Spidel says
These are so cute and my son and husband both love carrot cake as their favorite! Thank you fo sharing this idea!
Janine says
Happy to share and seriously hope you get to try to make these yummy treats for your husband and son, too now, Meredith π
Echo says
These look absolutely scrumptious! I love carrot cake, so I am definitely making these! You know, my grandma swore by lard for baking and always said it was better. I am going to look for this Armour Premium All-Natural Lard next time I am at the store!
Janine says
Love that your grandmother always used lard for baking and have to agree with her that it is just better, too! Thanks for sharing with me and hope you can make these soon for your family, too π
William Holland says
You know, if I never had another carrot I would be fine with that, but I love carrot cake, get it each week at the farmers market….yummy!!!
Are you digging out of snow? Seventy degrees here today! I’m so sorry. π
Have a great week, Janine!
Janine says
Love that you get carrot cake at the farmer’s market weekly. But totally hope you can try my cupcakes soon now for you and Bev. As for the weather, most of the snow has melted, but now we expect another storm tomorrow with more snow. So just can’t win! Please send some 70 degree weather our way soon now! Wishing you a great week, too now π
Dara says
They look yummy!
Janine says
Aw, thanks Dara!! π
Cynthia says
Did you say healthy mini-cupcakes!? Hehe…that sounds *fabulous* – even if fall is long past, as you said. You know, there’s always time for a little sweetness, and I’m sure your girls remind you of this daily – their sweet faces and the times when they say, “Mom, time to stop working and hang out with us for awhile.” Hehe.
Sending you hugs and I can’t wait to try this recipe. I love that these have applesauce in them. Hehe. Thank you for making my day sweeter! xoxo
Janine says
Aw, Cyndi yes I have indeed heard that. Even this morning my little one didn’t want to school, but hang out with me. She went, but still they definitely do want and need my attention still. Thanks for stopping by and again wishing you a great day and week ahead now, too. Hugs!! xoxo <3
Mary says
This is the second min carrot cake recipe Iβve seen this month. Of course yours are the cutest Iβve seen so far, the little carrots are adorable. Wait did you say lard? I didnβt even know you could buy lard, my Nana used to cook with it all the time and there is nothing better than Nanaβs cooking. The healthier the better for me. Great recipe janine! Thank you for sharing.
Janine says
I agree and there was nothing better than my Nana’s coming either. And happy to share my yummy cupcake recipe with you, too Mary!! π
Jennifer / The Deliberate Mom says
These are so beautiful Janine! Lady… you amaze me!
I just read recently that lard is healthy for you – I was like… WHAT?! LARD?! NO… it can’t be! It’s true though. We learn something new every day.
I will definitely give this a try!
Thanks so much for sharing.
xoxo
Janine says
I know it is so true and happy to share a yummy recipe with Lard that is a bit healthier for us still. xoxo π
nellie says
I love carrot cake anything so thank you so much for this recipe! I don’t think I have ever used lard before! Perfect for the Easter holiday for sure.
Janine says
I am so with you and carrot cake is truly one of my favorites. So hope you can try my recipe soon now, too π
AnnMarie John says
I’m big on carrot cake so this is right up my alley. I think everyone would enjoy these so thank you for the recipe.
Janine says
Me too and so happy to share with you, too π
Leslie says
See, I was raised mostly in the south, so ‘lard’ is associated with ‘delicious’! Though I’ve never thought about baking with it. Thanks for sharing a fun and unique recipe for the spring!
Janine says
Happy to share with you, too Leslie π
Katherines Corner says
I’ve never cooked with lard my friend. But oh my goodness these look yummy xo
Janine says
Aw, thanks Katie and I admit these are a now favorite of mine π xoxo
Tamara says
Those are really gorgeous! And adorable! I’m a bit familiar with the product, but I don’t think I knew its range. Perfect for Easter!!
Janine says
Aw, thanks my friend and I know really love the productβs baking range π
Tracy Albiero says
OH my word these look soooo good! I will have to give this a try!
Janine says
Thanks tracy and hope you do indeed give these a try soon π
Mother of 3 says
Those look yummy! I LOVE carrot cake.
Janine says
Aw, thanks and I am so with you as I love carrot cake, too π
Angelina says
These look so good! Thanks for linking up with Thursday Favorite Things, we love you joining us! I’ll be featuring you this week!
Janine says
Aw, thanks so much Angelina!!! π
Melanie says
Hi Janine! It’s been a LONG time since I’ve been here, but I’m so glad to be back again, because I missed your down-to-earth posts and all these foodie ideas. Carrot cake is one of my favourite cakes and you’ve motivated me to give cupcakes a try! These look absolutely delicious! (And btw, so does your blog! It’s come a long way and it’s awesome to see). Will def be popping back regularly. I’ve bookmarked your site to my weekly blog love list (because otherwise I forget and life happens – you know the story!) Have a super weekend! x
Janine says
Melanie, I am seriously so happy to see you here. I was honestly thinking about the first years of blogging and Hubpages, as well. See I was linking up with Finish the Sentence Friday here and had to republish an older article to link up. I edited and linked up a blog post that explained how I first got into blogging way back when. So, I actually thought of you and a few others I was reworking the article. Definitely was such a nice surprise to wake up to see your message her this morning. Thank you for all your kind words and so happy reconnect with you, as well. Just visited your blog and read your most recent. Left you a comment, as well and look forward to sharing with you once again now, too. Happy Weekend, as well now π