Earlier this summer, The Nashville Food Project’s Sustainability Team invited the wise Leah Larabell of High Garden Tea to join our staff meeting and lead us in a session of ethical wildcrafting. Naturally, we served snacks too including these Red Clover and Carrot Cupcakes made by Elke Hoffman, Operations and Sustainability Manager. We’re sharing her recipe below along with this bit of wisdom from Leah who reminded us that we’re not only in nature but of nature.
“We abuse land because we regard it as a commodity belonging to us. When we see land as a community to which we belong, we may begin to use it with love and respect.”
- Aldo Leopold
Red Clover and Carrot Cupcakes
Ingredients:
1 cup shredded carrots
2/3 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup sugar
4 tablespoons clover honey
3/4 red clover flowers (washed & segmented)
2 large eggs
3/4 cups self-raising flour
3/4 cups almond flour ( can just use all self rising flour, but the almond flour compliments to the clover well)
1 Heaped tsp baking powder.
For the icing:
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup clover honey
1/2 cup red or white clover flowers (washed & segmented)
1/4 cup powdered sugar (not necessary, but can be added for a sweeter taste)
20 clover flowers washed and left whole to top cupcakes
What to do:
Preheat Oven 350 degrees.
Grease mini muffin tins (regular muffin tins can be used, but cook times may vary).
Wash and finely grate the carrots.
Measure the oil and sugar into a bowl, add the segmented clover heads and beat in the eggs.
Sift the flour and baking powder into the bowl and add the grated carrot. Fold the flour and carrot into the oil, sugar, clover and eggs.
Pour the mixture into the prepared tins and bake in the pre-heated oven for 11-13 minutes until the cupcakes are firm and well risen. Allow to cool for 5 minutes, and then turn onto a cooling rack.
Whip the heavy whipping cream on high, slowly adding the clover segments and honey while it whips. You want it to be pretty stiff but be careful not to over whip.
Pipe the clover icing on top of the cupcakes, and add clover flowers on top for additional color and flavor.
Recipe inspired by this version from Huffington Post.
