CARROT-GINGER CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two standard 12-cup muffin pans with paper liners. Spread pecans in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet; toast until fragrant, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate; let cool completely. Chop pecans finely, and set aside.
• In a medium bowl,whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon; set aside. Using the smallest holes of a box grater, grate carrots. (You will need a total of 2 1/2 cups.) Place grated carrots, eggs, buttermilk, vanilla, sugar, vegetable oil, and ginger in a large bowl; whisk until combined. Using a rubber spatula, fold the flour mixture into the carrot mixture until combined. Fold in the chopped pecans.
• Divide batter evenly among the muffin cups. Bake, rotating pans halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer pans to a wire rack. Invert cupcakes onto the rack; then reinvert and let them cool completely, top sides up. Spread tops with Orange Cream-Cheese Frosting, swirling to coat, and garnish with Mini Marzipan Carrots. Cupcakes can be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• Carrot-Ginger Layer Cake Variation
• Butter two 8-by-2-inch round cake pans; line the bottoms with parchment paper. Butter parchment, and dust with flour, tapping out excess; set aside. Follow instructions for Carrot-Ginger Cupcakes, dividing batter between the prepared pans. Bake until a cake tester inserted in the centers comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Transfer cakes to a wire rack to cool 15 minutes. Run a knife or an offset spatula around the edges. Invert cakes onto the rack; peel off the parchment. Reinvert cakes and let them cool completely, top sides up.
• Using a serrated knife, trim tops of cakes to make level. Slice each cake in half horizontally into two layers. Place one of the bottom layers on a cake plate, and spread 3/4 cup frosting over the top. Repeat with the remaining layers and more frosting. Spread entire cake with remaining frosting and refrigerate until well-chilled, at least 4 hours or up to 4 days, covered with a cake dome. When ready to serve, place Marzipan Carrots on top and around the edge of the cake.
• Orange Cream-Cheese Frosting
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add cream cheese, and beat until combined and fluffy, about 2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the remaining ingredients, and beat 5 minutes. Frosting can be kept at room temperature, covered with plastic wrap, for up to 2 hours.
• Mini Marpizan Carrots
• With a toothpick, add a dab of food coloring to the marzipan and knead with fingers to combine; continue until desired shade is achieved.
• Shape mounded 1/2 teaspoons of marzipan into 24 balls, and place on a clean work surface. Using your hands, roll each piece back and forth to form a 2-inch log. Using your fingers, shape one end of each log into a tapered point to form a carrot shape. (It needn't be perfect; garden carrots have lumps and bumps.) Use the tip of a skewer or toothpick to make a small hole at the top of the carrot. Using a paring knife, make small grooves across the surface of each carrot in a random design. Carrots can be kept at room temperature, in an airtight container, for up to 1 week.
• When ready to serve, roll carrots in cookie crumbs, lightly brushing off excess, and insert carrot greens into the holes.