Carrot Cake Muffins (for the baking challenged)

<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPFTi-ME8YQJcwoVPWnPDeWfJI74LtQG6crFvkbl8WoHLaMuxbqva5X_06qeHLPnOlh4EMqLxFQsDQdr2WuVrxvGN_k2NjxGgcswZnWv6L8w0a2jwVfTdtvQVD96NHOWPNbzprpBO3HZk/s1600/carrot+cake+muffins+006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPFTi-ME8YQJcwoVPWnPDeWfJI74LtQG6crFvkbl8WoHLaMuxbqva5X_06qeHLPnOlh4EMqLxFQsDQdr2WuVrxvGN_k2NjxGgcswZnWv6L8w0a2jwVfTdtvQVD96NHOWPNbzprpBO3HZk/s320/carrot+cake+muffins+006.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br />It's no secret around here that I'm not a baker.  (I play one on TV). <br /><br />It's just not very easy for me to get from point A to point B. First of all, I don't like to measure. That's why I can cook. Take a recipe, play with it, taste the sauce, add a little bit of this, a lot of that, and <em>SOMEHOW</em> it ends up yummy.  If you do that with baking, the results are likely disastrous, and sometimes downright dangerous. Things can <em>EXPLODE</em>!<br /><br />Oh well. I'm still a fan of <em>eating</em> baked goods, and we all know, where there's a will, there's a way. <br /><br />Oh yeah - Box Mixes. Roll your eyes, and scoff if you like. You in your fancy baking apron. But, I like box mixes. With a little tinkering, no one even has to know! <br /><br />And here's a recipe for Carrot Cake Muffins that I Saw at <a href="http://apeekintomyparadise.blogspot.com/2013/04/just-2-ingredient-muffins.html?showComment=1367010610032#c8337885068365889291">A Peek Into My Paradise</a>, and I thought, "<em>I can do this</em>". I can even put a little of my own<em> special spin</em> on it.  And by <em>special spin</em>, I mean <em>frosting!  </em>There are a few things I've learned in life - and this is an important one of those things - everything tastes better with frosting and bacon. (Not together, silly.)<br /><br />Anyway, here's the dealio. <br /><br />Preheat the oven to 350F. <br /><br />Take a carrot cake mix. Dump the contents in a big bowl.  DO NOT add anything the box calls for, just the powdered mix. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a data-ved="0CAUQjRw" href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=ofRC8dDvCGo6gM&tbnid=e0OcF4i6GQF37M:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mythirtyspot.com%2F2012_02_19_archive.html&ei=jxCEUazdII-64AOrwICoCw&bvm=bv.45960087,d.dmg&psig=AFQjCNHwOZTIaGTPIGGKcQYyEZA2ZjvBew&ust=1367695884662357" id="irc_mil" style="border: 0px currentColor; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img height="325" id="irc_mi" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0C6n9yXCChYmQuZQmA6CrN07pmmTRrXarawP-VQ94ag5gt8JWwtKWm7V4QU0_bRZJ3Z8I6ecdwpXSnqIsTzMKQ0WN2gHR15vvwEyrzzLOmaknHtO9i-oZlAVmZ-W6Bwivjh-sTRW7cxbW/s1600/betty-crocker-carrot-cake-mix.jpg" style="margin-top: 34px;" width="325" /></a></div><br />Now take a can of pumpkin. Put that in with the cake mix. <br /><a data-ved="0CAUQjRw" href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=w9Phl-IqV_aWmM&tbnid=OeaXEkzZeJ2bsM:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhappyhealthysaver.com%2Fcvs-stock-up-prices-on-lindsay-olives-libbys-canned-pumpkin-and-more-1104-1110%2F&ei=2hCEUfzoCsWn4AOYp4HIAQ&bvm=bv.45960087,d.dmg&psig=AFQjCNFDfR0gAta4ZzVNllpr4xvNRO4zJQ&ust=1367695955463588" id="irc_mil" style="border: 0px currentColor;"><img height="300" id="irc_mi" src="http://happyhealthysaver.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/6a00e5520c1f5b88330133f2e4611c970b-500wi.jpg" style="margin-top: 47px;" width="300" /></a><br /><br />Stir, stir, stir.  Stir til it's all mixed up. Then put the mess in a gallon Ziploc baggie. Trim the corner off and pipe into muffin tin (with liners). Or just use a spoon an fill the liners. Either way, it will not look very good at this point. You'll see. Pretend not to notice and carry on. <br /><br />Bake at 350 for 15 minutes.  While they bake, make this recipe for frosting. <br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><strong>Cream Cheese Frosting </strong></div><div style="text-align: center;">(I use fat-free cream cheese and no one can tell)</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Ingredients: </div><ul sizcache09387117033835717="12" sizset="1"><ul sizcache09387117033835717="12" sizset="1"><li sizcache09387117033835717="12" sizset="1"><div style="text-align: left;">8 ounces cream cheese </div><li sizcache09387117033835717="12" sizset="2"><div style="text-align: left;">1 tbsp. butter </div><li sizcache09387117033835717="12" sizset="3"><div style="text-align: left;">1 c powdered sugar </div><li sizcache09387117033835717="12" sizset="4"><div style="text-align: left;">1 teaspoon vanilla extract </div><li sizcache09387117033835717="12" sizset="5"><div style="text-align: left;">1 pinch salt </div><li sizcache09387117033835717="12" sizset="6"><div style="text-align: left;">3 tablespoons milk </div></li></li></li></li></li></li></ul></ul><div style="text-align: left;">Directions: </div><div class="section clrfix directions" sizcache09387117033835717="12" sizset="8" style="text-align: left;"><ol sizcache09387117033835717="12" sizset="8"><li sizcache09387117033835717="12" sizset="8">Blend softened cheese and butter in mixer. <li sizcache09387117033835717="12" sizset="9">Blend and whip in the sugar and vanilla. (you can add more sugar to taste) <li sizcache09387117033835717="12" sizset="10">Beat in enough milk to get the right spreading consistency. (Not too thin, not to thick, just right, okay?) </li></li></li></ol></div><br /><br />When the muffins are done, let them cool. Don't eat them yet! They're about to get fabulous. Well, better, at least. <br /><br />Take each muffin and slice it in half, like so: <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzTx9oX3fi2blAanezJAaehIzPk9-hb69J5ZIHdh4Vxi2s8p2QNpUgbHaxe04o8h7T0kpe-Bl8LZEaYk1BpWpmUYSAAi-ml6pX9Fm2SQRnBpBU2EJsDYYu-p6egch2a2Rz6xPetP9Q6yE/s1600/carrot+cake+muffins+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzTx9oX3fi2blAanezJAaehIzPk9-hb69J5ZIHdh4Vxi2s8p2QNpUgbHaxe04o8h7T0kpe-Bl8LZEaYk1BpWpmUYSAAi-ml6pX9Fm2SQRnBpBU2EJsDYYu-p6egch2a2Rz6xPetP9Q6yE/s320/carrot+cake+muffins+002.JPG" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiAxcG7zU9huxa_lV_DGOQFFoGodV1ipAvY6-RA_87cqbr9eshlOa8055XszbD4j1aXSNA2J2bGIU93w5hn4QQIC4JWQ3X6gaaKR8gSdQAca_xsIKm6vtCeq3iVGLTYWK_YQjSR_mqho0/s1600/carrot+cake+muffins+003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiAxcG7zU9huxa_lV_DGOQFFoGodV1ipAvY6-RA_87cqbr9eshlOa8055XszbD4j1aXSNA2J2bGIU93w5hn4QQIC4JWQ3X6gaaKR8gSdQAca_xsIKm6vtCeq3iVGLTYWK_YQjSR_mqho0/s320/carrot+cake+muffins+003.JPG" width="320" /></a><br /><div class="section clrfix ingredients" sizcache09387117033835717="12" sizset="1"><h2 class="section=title"> </h2></div>Then frost the middle. <em>THAT WAY</em> you don't get frosting on your fingers. Eat 'em up and give 'em to your kids. Just don't tell them how you did it - you'll be a rock-star. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhddKhLVqP0lkWciHjFvzn1CCYnzv7l_L7l0m1MR_xysSCdBt-9P_Q3nvlPAA5TuGHPlBZzsvMXVa0J51RWZlyIVb_0hC4SnA-gCaQbgt92ZANHPbkfsti1dZAeT9l__U8kmFKEtpH5uA4/s1600/carrot+cake+muffins+004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a> </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div>Pretend as if you've been grating carrots, sifting flour, and whisking eggs all day. Maybe even put on a fancy baking apron. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR33bg5DTBYcJQ5hX__lIMy38vz8WyDilDOSM5QjzFBKDOIcU0aNBD7eRq-kT_piPrbhaTHQKMTlaF1_4P5hJLYOYhbrVqHOe35JxzMDHyOQOtQLGpze8e00cn2DvUQZznPjQqRlinzmM/s1600/carrot+cake+muffins+005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR33bg5DTBYcJQ5hX__lIMy38vz8WyDilDOSM5QjzFBKDOIcU0aNBD7eRq-kT_piPrbhaTHQKMTlaF1_4P5hJLYOYhbrVqHOe35JxzMDHyOQOtQLGpze8e00cn2DvUQZznPjQqRlinzmM/s320/carrot+cake+muffins+005.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>

Carrot Cake Muffins (for the baking challenged)

It's no secret around here that I'm not a baker.  (I play one on TV). It's just not very easy for me to get from point A to poin...

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