This sweet recipe for orange cream cheese frosting and marzipan carrots. It’s the perfect topping for brownies, cake or cookies.
This week has been a bit crazy. I had time off last weekend but it was so hot I no desire to be anywhere near my kitchen. It’s not normal for it to be ninety degrees in April. I didn’t want to neglect my blog so I have decided to post something I made at Easter. Now before I continue this post everyone must realize that I’m human. I get busy and sometimes I cut corners. In this case I cut a corner. A big corner. Instead of making homemade brownies, which we all know are better, I made box brownies (gasp!). BUT in my defense I used good box brownies. Seriously the Ghirardelli brownies are really not half bad. What I want to showcase is the frosting and cute adorable mini marzipan carrots.
Orange and chocolate has always been a classic combination and it worked wonderfully in this recipe. The light citrus flavor from the frosting mixed with rich chocolate from the brownies was delightful. The marzipan carrots were really easy to make and when I was making them it made me feel like I was on Ace of Cakes, although there molding skills are about 110% better than mine. I used gel food coloring to color the marzipan and it worked out well but I put on latex gloves so I could mix it by hand. I didn’t want to end up with carrot orange fingers.
I also used real carrot fronds to put on the top of the carrots. I just snipped off a few of the fronds and poked a hole in the top of the carrot with a toothpick and put in the frond. To make them look even more realistic I dipped a paring knife in cocoa and made marks across the carrots. The carrots are editable but they do get hard if made the night before. The only thing to remember is that when using the fresh carrot fronds do not put them in the carrots until you are ready to serve. If you do it too early they will start to wilt. If you are not wild about using fresh carrots fronds you can always just make a little green marzipan and put them on top of the carrot.
Orange Cream Cheese and Marzipan Carrots
This sweet recipe for orange cream cheese frosting and marzipan carrots. It's the perfect topping for brownies, cake or cookies.
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
Orange Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, room temperature
- 2/3 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1-1/2 teaspoons finely grated orange peel
For marzipan carrots:
- 1 ounce marzipan
- Orange gel food coloring
- Unsweetened cocoa powder
- Small fresh carrot fronds - rinsed and dried well
Source: Epicurious and Martha Stewart
Directions:
For frosting:
Using electric mixer, beat room temperature cream cheese and next 3 ingredients in medium bowl until smooth.
For marzipan carrots:
Tint marzipan with orange food coloring, a drop at a time, to reach desired color. Divide in 12 pieces. (Cover with plastic wrap when not using) Shape each piece into a ball, then roll into logs, tapering one end to resemble carrots.
Dip a paring knife into cocoa powder. Make tiny indentations in each carrot with cocoa-dusted knife to evoke the vegetables texture. Carrots will keep, covered, for up to one week. Push fronds into top of each carrot before serving.