It really depends on how wet your batter is. I find that my chocolate cake converted to cupcakes only need 20 minutes, but my quick breads which are much wetter need more like 35 - 40 minutes.

I'd start at 20 minutes, then keep testing. If you're icing them, no one will see all the toothpick holes!

AM

As an alternative to carrot cake cupcakes, I bake my whole wheat carrot cake recipe in two 9-inch square pans. When cool, I freeze one and make the other into a small 4-layer torte. Cut the 9-inch cake into four pieces; stack the quarters with cream cheese frosting between the layers, and on top. I get 6-slices from the small torte. You could also freeze slices of the carrot cake.

The instructions for cake to cupcakes from Betty Crocker's Picture Cookbook (1956) - unfortunately, instructions don't address carrot cake:

Fill cups:

-2/3 full for Creaming Method (butter cakes)
-1/2 full for Double-Quick Method
-7/8 full for Chiffon Cakes

Temperature: 400°F (mod. hot oven)
Time: Bake 18-20 minutes
Amount: 1-1/2 to 2 dozen cupcakes from recipe calling for 2-1/4 c. flour.

-Grainlady

Grainlady, will you please share your ww carrot cake recipe?

terri pacnw - Sorry I can't remember who shared this recipe on this board about 18-months ago, but the link to the original recipe is below, and it's become a favorite cake of ours.

Here's my lower-fat, lower-glycemic version for ONE 9-inch cake:

1/2 c. white whole wheat flour
1/2 c. c. wholegrain spelt flour
1/2 t. baking powder
3/4 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1 t. cinnamon
1/4 c. melted coconut oil
1/4 c. agave nectar
2 eggs
1 c. grated carrots
1/2 c. unsweetened crushed canned pineapple, drained
1/2 c. chopped walnuts (the more the merrier ;-) - plus more for garnish on the top)

I bake mine in my Sharp Convection/Microwave Oven (15-17 minutes 325°F LOW/MIX BAKE), so adjust the time and temperature to a standard oven.

I also make a sugar-free/low-glycemic cream cheese frosting with 3-4 oz. cream cheese, agave nectar to sweeten (2-3 T. - I've never measured - this is a "dump recipe" ;-), approx. 1 T. milk/cream/half-and-half (whatever you have on hand) - more if frosting is too thick, plus enough dried milk powder to create a thick cream cheese frosting.

I use Morning Moo's or 1st Best Whey Milk powder - which are whey-based milk substitutes and a little sweeter to taste than regular non-fat dry milk. If using regular non-fat dry milk powder, you may want to run it through the blender to make the powder smaller for better mixing.

-Grainlady

Here is a link that might be useful: The Fantabulous Whole Wheat Carrot Cake

THANK YOU..

I made my first batch of baking the other day with agave used half the amount of sugar and used dark agave..The other batch was made with Rapadura the full cup. It's my cream muffin recipe, made into pumpkin spice muffins for the 8 yr olds class Halloween party. The rapadura batch rose beautifully and looked like muffins do. The agave was a moister, squishier denser not as high muffin. But both were delish. Some kids ate 3 muffins!!!!! Some said they were the best muffin they'd ever had..I bet they've never had home made! They were made with coconut milk, coconut oil and half the flour was WW.

Does this cake rise and get a bit fluffy or is it a bit moist/denser?

Congratulations Terri! Altering recipes is a great hobby, although it can be fraught with flops!

Because of the additional liquid from the agave nectar, you may need a little extra flour - a tablespoon or two? - to make up for the additional hydration. Occasionally, some things require a little more chemical leavening because of the additional hydration.

How many muffins did the batch made with agave nectar make? Half a cup of agave nectar seems like a lot of sweetener for 12 muffins. If you make them again, try using 1/3 c. agave nectar. Depending on the other ingredients, I usually start with 3 T. agave nectar for 12 muffins, maybe up to 1/4 cup. You'll get additional "sweetness" from the pumpkin and the spices.

The whole wheat carrot cake is not "fluffy" like a butter cake. When I bake it in a 9-inch square pan it's about 1- to 1-1/2-inchs thick. Just about right for a small torte. Because I've reduced the fat, the moisture is mainly from the pineapple and carrots, unlike traditional carrot cake recipes that seem to "drip" with vegetable oil. Agave nectar is also great at holding moisture, as one of it's attributes in baked goods. We like the cake best the next day (overnight in the refrigerator) when the flavors meld together.

-Grainlady

The recipe makes 18 muffins. They didn't seem to sweet, but I'll back it off to 1/3 next time. And using the coconut milk, which isn't as liquidy as 1/2 n 1/2 or milk that I usually use in it. I didn't add more flour or decrease the liquid. But next time I'll try that too.

Thanks for the tips on making cupcakes from a cake recipe! I can't wait to try it, although with my hectic schedule it may be a while. I just found out they want me in W PA for a job interview next Monday. Plus I have classes and programs almost every day, including Saturdays!