Carrot Cake Muffins

By Catherine Noonan on July 24, 2014 in Food

If this recipe doesn’t sound like nourishing goodness, then nothing does. These nutritious carrot cake muffins are packed full of goodness with freshly grated carrot, almond meal, whole-meal spelt flour, maple syrup, sultanas, dates, cinnamon, rolled oats, coconut oil, milk, desiccated coconut and organic eggs.

For a dairy-free version, simply swap the milk for a milk of your choice, such as almond or coconut varieties. On the other hand, for a dairy-packed version you can swap the coconut oil for the same volume of butter and serve warm, spread with a little extra butter. or as a dessert with cream, custard or ice-cream. The options are as endless and the flavour is sensational!

Tools
2 mixing bowls
1 wooden spoon
1 muffin tray, lined with muffin papers

Ingredients (Makes 12)

Bowl 1
• 4 eggs
• 1/3 cup coconut oil or butter, melted
• 1 cup milk or other milk of your choice
• 3 tbsp maple syrup
• 2 large carrots, grated
• 1/2 cup sultanas
• 1/2 cup dried apricots or dates, finely chopped

Bowl 2
• 1 cup wholemeal spelt flour
• 1 cup almond meal
• 1/2 cup desiccated coconut
• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 2 tbsp extra rolled oats for sprinkling on top

Method

1. Pre-heat a convection oven to 160 degrees Celsius*.
2. Line a 12 capacity muffin tray with muffin papers and set aside.
3. In the first bowl, beat the eggs and then add the rest of the Bowl 1 ingredients.
4. In the second bowl, combine all the Bowl 2 ingredients.
5. Add Bowl 2 to Bowl 1 and mix with a wooden spoon to evenly combine.
6. Pour the mixture evenly into the muffin tray.
7. Sprinkle each muffin with the extra rolled oats.
8. Transfer the tray to the oven and bake for 50 minutes, or until lightly golden.
*It is best to put your oven on convection mode, because fan-forced may cause the top to burn before the centre cooks.

Storage

If consumed the same day as baking, keep on the bench. Otherwise, refrigerate in an airtight container for up to one week.

Serving Suggestions

Serve as a breakfast muffin, warmed in the oven and spread with butter, for a morning or afternoon tea snack or as a dessert with cream, ricotta cheese, custard or ice-cream.