This post is sponsored by Similac but all opinions contained in this post are my own. Please see below for additional disclosures.

I’ll admit. Just like almost every other Mother in the world, I’ve struggled to get my kids to eat the usual nutritious but not overly popular foods: Broccoli. Carrots. Beets. Brussel Sprouts. I could go on and on! And, of course, just like every other Mother in the world, I’ve never had to put any effort whatsoever into getting them to love desserts. If only we could flip the desires for those two food groups!

With these Carrot Cake Cupcakes, I’ve done the next best thing: snuck in a load of powerful nutrition that is virtually undetectable and incredibly simple to use: Similac’s Go & Grow Powder. These mix-ins offer protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals, and Similac’s own blend of DHA called Opti-grow. And to cover our bases, we’ve added this magic vitamin-boosting powder to both the frosting and the cake. Do you have a frosting lover that leaves the cake? You’re covered! Cake lover who scrapes off the frosting? Covered.

We’ve even covered our cupcakes in the most fun way ever – ribbons! Well, edible ribbons of course. So get frosting and give your littles an adorable, nutrient-packed, bubble gum topped cupcake!

Here’s a quick video of the ribbon icing technique, from start to finish:

Makes 12-14 Cupcakes

• 12 Carrot Cake Cupcakes, baked & cooled (recipe below)
• 1 packet Similac Go & Grow Powder
• 1 recipe Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe below)
• 3 colors Food Dye
• 4 Piping bags
• 3 Small Petal Piping Tips
• Assorted Gumballs

Pour the Similac Go and Grow Powder into the bowl of frosting and stir in until well combined.

Scoop ¼ of the frosting into a piping bag (this one doesn’t need a piping tip) and set aside. This frosting will be left white.

Divide the remaining frosting between three bowls. Dye each bowl of frosting the color of your choice.

Snip the tips off of your piping bags and insert the piping tips. Place the three colors of frosting each in their own piping bag. Twist the tops of the piping bags to press the frosting down toward the tip and tie the bag off with a twist tie or rubber band.

Place your cupcakes on your work surface. Pipe a mound of white frosting on top of each cupcake, about 1 ½” high. This serves as a base to wrap your ribbon frosting around.

Hold your three frosting bags together at the top with one hand, and squeeze the tips close together with your other hand. Applying even pressure to each bag, squeeze the frosting out in ribbons and move your hand around the cupcake and white frosting mound to cover in strips of frosting. Continue to wrap frosting ribbons around the cupcake until it is entirely covered and you can’t see any white frosting.

Frost all cupcakes in this manner.

Top each cupcake with a gumball.

Serve! Cupcakes can be covered and stored in the refrigerator for several days.

• 2 sticks (1 pound or 16 tablespoons) Salted Butter, softened
• 1 package Cream Cheese, cold
• 1 ½ pounds Powdered Sugar
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla
• Juice of 1 Lemon

• Place the butter and cream cheese in a large bowl. Beat together with an electric mixer until combined.
• Add the powdered sugar, vanilla, and lemon juice and beat on low speed until mixed in well. Up the speed to high and beat for 2 minutes, until smooth and fluffy. Store in an airtight container in the fridge until use (if you refrigerate it before using it in the recipe, let it sit out at room temperature for ½ hour so that it will be soft enough to use).

Makes 12-14 cupcakes

• 1 Packet Similac Go & Grow Powder
• 1 1/3 cups Whole Wheat Flour
• 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
• ¼ teaspoon Salt
• 1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon Nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon Ginger
• ½ cup Applesauce (no sugar added)
• 2 large Eggs
• ¼ cup Coconut Oil (melted)
• 1 cup Brown Sugar (packed)
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla
• 1 ½ cups Finely Shredded Carrot
• 1/3 cup Crushed Pineapple (drained of liquid)

• Line a muffin tin with 12 cupcake liners. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Add the Similac Go & Grow Powder, flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger to a small mixing bowl and whisk until combined. Set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the applesauce, eggs, coconut oil, brown sugar, vanilla, carrot, and pineapple until smooth. Stir the dry ingredients in until just combined.
• Divide the mixture evenly among the prepared cupcake wrappers (do not fill them more than ¾ of the way full). Bake in the preheated oven for 18-20 minutes, or until cooked through the middle (cupcakes should feel firm when you press on the centers).
• Remove from the oven and let cool. Frost as desired.

Enjoy!

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Similac partnered with influencers such as me for its Go & Grow by Similac Food Mix-Ins Launch Program. As part of this Program, I received compensation for my time. Similac believes that consumers and influencers are free to form their own opinions and share them in their own words. Similac policies align with WOMMA Ethics Code, Federal Trade Commission (FTC) guidelines and social media engagement recommendations.