We live in a world where, more often than not, carrot cake goes horribly, horribly wrong.

Well, I'm here to change that.

I personalized these cupcakes for a combined celebration of Father's Day, my sister's birthday, and my cousin's graduation.
This recipe is delicious, and the decorations are cute and easy, with lots of room for your own personal flair!

Step 1: Gather Supplies and Ingredients

24 cupcake wrappers
mixing bowl

For the Cake:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 cups of finely shredded carrots
1 cup cooking oil
4 eggs

For the Frosting:
3 ounces cream cheese
1/4 cup butter
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

For the Decorations:
felt
scissors
acrylic paint
small-tipped paintbrush
glue
toothpicks

Step 2: Cake: Dry Ingredients

In your mixing bowl, stir together the dry ingredients: flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.

Step 3: Cake: Add Wet Ingredients

In your bowl of mixed dry ingredients, add the wet ingredients: shredded carrot, oil, and eggs.

Beat in mixer at medium speed for 2 minutes.

The pictures show the progression of this step.

Step 4: Cake: Scoop Into Cups

Now that the batter is made, it's time for it to go into the lovely cupcake cups.

The ones I used are foil (because I liked the silver look), so I didn't need to use a cupcake pan. If you use regular paper cupcake wrappers, be sure you use a proper pan.

I used an ice cream scooper to put the batter into the cups.

Step 5: Cake: Into the Oven

Bake your cupcakes at 325 degrees for 20 minutes .

Step 6: Cake: Cool Down

After your cupcakes are done baking, pull them out of the oven and let them cool on a cooling rack.

Step 7: Frosting: Mix the Ingredients

Now that the cupcakes are done, it's time for the frosting.

In a mixing bowl, blend cream cheese and butter until smooth. Then gradually add the powdered sugar. Then finally add your vanilla.

Step 8: Frosting: Spread the Fun

It's finally time to frost the cupcakes!

Make sure they are completely cooled down before trying to add the frosting, otherwise the frosting will melt.

I used a butter knife to spread that goodness on top. Oh yeahhh.

Step 9: Decorations: Cut Out Felt Circles

Trace 24 circles on the felt, then cut them out. Mine were about 2 inches across.

Also, cut out 24 slightly smaller circles at about 1.5 inches across. These will be the backing of our decorations.

24+24 = 48 circles total! Yay math!

Step 10: Decorations: Paint

Using white acrylic paint and a fine paint brush, paint your designs, phrases, etc. onto the felt circles. I free-handed what I painted, but you can also use a pencil to draw what you want on your circle

The Father's Day ones I created in blue have the following:
a mustache
"Happy. Fathers. Day."
"Dad, I need $. Thanks."

The Birthday ones in pink have the following:
a flower
"Happy Birthday"
"31"

The Graduation cupcakes have the following:
hearts
"Class of 2011"
"Congrats"

Step 11: Decorations: Add Toothpick and Backing

Once your circles are painted, turn them over.

1. Apply a line of glue.
2. Place a toothpick on top.
3. Apply glue to the small circle of felt.
4. Place and press small circle on top of big circle to lock in toothpick

Repeat 23 more times!!!

Step 12: Decorate Those Cupcakes!

Congratulations. We've made it this far.

Take your decorations and put them in the cupcakes!
That means pointy toothpick-end into frosted cupcake, in case you were wondering.