Wednesday, September 27, 2006

Carrot Muffins


Several weeks ago I decided that I wanted to try carrot muffins. I did some researching for recipes and found one that looked REALLY good, but it was a little more dessert like than I wanted. So then I went to Culinary in the Country and found this recipe. It looked very promising, so I grabbed it up and tried. Let me say, Joe, that it is yummy. I did change a couple of things, but the flavor is great and does not need icing, although a cream cheese icing would still be a great addition.

Joe makes this in the form of a cake and adds crystallized ginger. I wanted muffins, so I did that form. I've never used crystallized ginger and didn't have any, although I found some in a local whole foods store! So, unfortunately my muffins lacked this. I ended up decreasing the sugar a bit without any dire consequences. I think if I ever get in the carrot muffin mood again, I would make these again. They lasted a good week without getting moldy tasting, which is good! Who wants a moldy muffin? My changes are in orange in honor of the wonderful carrot! BTW, the carrots turned green just like the apples did in my apple muffins. I guess it's a produce response to the high heat.

By the way, I have to take a breakfast food with fruit in it to Sunday School this week. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Carrot Spice Muffins
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup packed brown sugar (I used ~2/3 cup)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ginger (I didn't use because I don't have any!)
2 large eggs
1/2 cup applesauce (unsweetened) (I used one easy-serve pack. I'm pretty sure this is 1/2 cup)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups shredded peeled carrots (I used pre-shredded carrots!)
3/4 cup golden raisins (Craisins for me!)
1/4 cup chopped crystallized ginger (I didn't use this)

Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl, whisk together flours, sugars, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger until well combined. In a small bowl, whisk together eggs, applesauce and vanilla. Pour mixture into the dry ingredients and stir just until combined. Add in the carrots, raisins and crystallized ginger - stirring to evenly distribute them. Pour batter into a 9x13" baking dish coated with nonstick spray. If doing muffins, line the pan with muffin liners and spray with baking spray. Spoon batter into the cups (I use an ice cream scooper. It's the perfect size) until around 2/3 full. Bake for around 20 minutes. Check to be sure it springs back or a toothpick comes out clean. Bake until the center springs back when lightly touched, or a toothpick placed in the center comes out mostly clean - a few moist crumbs attached is okay. Remove and let cool on a wire rack before cutting.

Yield: 12 regular sized muffins + 6-9 mini muffins

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Carrot muffins are one of my favorites...looks good.

Annie said...

I was just thinking about making Carrot Muffins or Morning Glory Muffins. Those look great.
I think I'm going to make Pumpkin Muffins this weekend because I have one of those Pillsbury loaf mixes that's getting ready to expire. Plus I have some "buttermilk". Sounds like a plan to me.

Unknown said...

Peabody - Thanks!

Annie - I love pumpkin muffins and will be making some soon! An easy one is pumpkin and spice cake mix. That's it! Buttermilk, my favorite baking liquid!!!!!!

The Cookbook Junkie said...

A breakfast food with fruit? Some kind of danish or muffin. Fruit salad. A quick bread. Crockpot oatmeal with dried fruit. A fruity baked stuffed french toast (if you have one of those Pyrex cozies that keep casseroles warm).

Annie said...

I was thinking about the breakfast thing and then I saw Everyday Italian on the food network.

Giada made fresh fruit cups with whipped cream and mascarpone cheese.

She used strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and blueberries, macerated them in sugar and topped with the whipped cream and mascarpone. Then she topped it with crumbled merange cookies. It looked so good.
You could do a variation of this?!

Unknown said...

Paula - I have been thinking about some kind of french toast but there is a strawberry cake recipe in cooking Light that looks good. I might try that.

Annie - I checked that recipe from Giada out and it looks delicious. However, I don't know if I want to spend that much on fruit right now. Here it has gotten expensive: I think it's around 3.50 for a SMALL package of blueberries (maybe 1/2 cup). I had thought that doing a fruit salad would be good though; thanks for the suggestion.

Anonymous said...

Oh yum! And your daily serving of vegetables too. (Which totally justifies eating them all yourself.)

Ari (Baking and Books)

Unknown said...

Ari - Thanks for dropping buy! Yes, yummy muffins and veggies combined...a good thing.