Spiced Carrot Cake Loaf with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

April 16, 2022April 16, 2022 amcarmen1 Comment

Hello Everyone!

AMCARMEN’S KITCHEN TURNS EIGHT TODAY!

And what a journey it has been indeed! So much has happened this year that it’s been extra difficult to keep up with the blog and my social media accounts associated with Amcarmen’s Kitchen. Just before my blog turned 7 last year, I started a foodie community group on Instagram together with a foodie friend of mine, Chamaine (she also participated in my Auguest 2021 series). From there, we started organising and hosting food collaborations amongst the IG foodie community, internationally. Aside from that, I also expanded my social media reach into the world of TikTok and started uploading video content there. It was also from TikTok where I placed third in a virtual cooking competition, and was invited to join in food campaigns where I won prizes weekly.

To be honest, with all that going on side-by-side with my work and social life, I actually didn’t prepare anything for my blog’s anniversary today. In fact, I was going back and forth with myself whether to whip up something or indulge in a lazy Easter long weekend. Prior to this weekend, I spent the last two weekends (Friday to Sunday) in a classroom from 9am – 7pm where I did a Premiere Pro and After Effects course. So yes, I totally deserve a do-nothing weekend after all that *cheeky grin*.

Luckily, because of my oh-so busy schedule, I had this recipe for a Spiced Carrot Cake Loaf with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting that didn’t get posted towards the end of March. Still, it’s perfect for a celebration!

This carrot cake turned carrot cake loaf is dense, yet ultra soft, moist, and flavoured with fall-favourite spices such as cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. You can serve it plain, or spruce it up with your choice of nuts, dried fruit, and/or top with some cream cheese frosting. Now if you want to be a little bit extra, all you need is a pinch or two of cinnamon powder to take your frosting to another level. The delicious cinnamon-flavoured cream cheese frosting really heightens each slice of carrot cake loaf!

I’ve made this carrot cake loaf three times now, the first time was just because I wanted to bake something that was easy to take to work for a mid-morning or mid-afternoon snack. The second time I baked this loaf was with my boyfriend when he visited for the weekend a few months back. The third time, I was searching for a recipe where I could feature Binda Valley’s Vanilla Bliss Natural Greek Style Yoghurt, which I received courtesy of Gourmet Direct PH a few months back. This is also one of my achievements from last year, to be recognised by a brand and create promotional content for them.

This recipe makes two carrot cake loaves, feel free to double or downsize the recipe, but trust me, you don’t want to be downsizing because one loaf disappears fast! If you can turn a cake into a loaf, you can most definitely turn this loaf into muffins as well!

PREP TIME 15 MINS | COOKING TIME 55 – 65 MINS | MAKES 2 LOAVES

INGREDIENTS

For the carrot cake loaf

Dry ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 & 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

3/4 cup roasted walnuts, roughly chopped

Wet ingredients

5 large carrots, peeled and shredded
4 large free range eggs, at room temperature
1 cup coconut oil
1 & 3/4 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup Binda Valley’s Vanilla Bliss Natural Greek Style Yoghurt
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp grated fresh ginger

For the cinnamon cream cheese frosting

1 block (225g) cream cheese, softened
2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt

METHOD

Preheat oven to 180C (350F or gas mark 4) and line two 9×5-inch loaf pans with parchment paper.
Carrot Loaf: Whisk all the dry ingredients, except for the walnuts, together in a large mixing bowl until well combined. Set aside.
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk all the wet ingredients together until well combined.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently whisk together until just combined. The batter should be semi-thick in consistency. Fold the chopped walnuts into the batter.
Equally divide the batter between the prepared loaf pans and bake for 55 to 65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean as baking times may vary.
Remove from the oven once done and leave it to cool completely in its pan on a wire rack.
Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting: Using a handheld (or stand) mixer, beat the cream cheese in a medium-sized bowl on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy.
Beat in the butter, and then followed by the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt over low speed until smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust to your liking.
Once the carrot cake loaf has cooled, frost with the cinnamon cream cheese and top with roasted walnuts and shredded carrots.
Slice, serve, and enjoy!

Storage tip: Store your carrot cake loaf without the frosting! Cover and store leftover loaf/slices at room temperature for up to 3-4 days or in the refrigerator for up to about 10 days. Store the frosting separately in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Before I end tonight’s post, I just want to say a special thank you to my Mom. She was the one who patiently taught me how to cook my favourite dishes when I was growing up. She was my #1 supporter. Thank you Mama for passing down your knowledge and love for food on to me. I know you’re proudly watching from above. I love you.

@amcarmenskitchen

Spiced Carrot Cake Loaf #amcarmenskitchen #foodieph #summerfoodie #sweettooth #tiktokeatsph #foodtiktok #foodtokph #anniversary

♬ GOOD VIBES – Ellen Once Again

BON APPÉTIT

– Ally xx

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Deconstructed Pumpkin Pie in a Jar

March 25, 2020March 25, 2020 amcarmenLeave a comment

Hello Everyone! I’ll keep tonight’s introduction short as I have quite a bit to say at the end of this post – a disclaimer, or a little announcement(?) regarding Amcarmen’s Kitchen in light of the current pandemic.

This Deconstructed Pumpkin Pie in a Jar is where it’s at. It is super easy to make and adorably cute served in a jar! Seriously delicious. Pumpkin Pie Purée. Cream Cheese Frosting. Ginger Biscuits. Layer, layer, layer and you’ve got yourself a dessert that’s sure to please everyone, not only with your culinary skills, but also with your creativity!

Now, I think with the measurements I’ve stated below, you can make at least 2 large jars of Pumpkin Pie, 3 would be pushing it, but if your jars are smaller, it is possible. I only made one jar for the purpose of getting a photo for this post because I ended up saving two thirds of the pumpkin for our daily meal consumption. You’ll find out why at the end of this post.

Before we dive into tonight’s recipe, do take the time to check out where I drew my original inspiration for these Deconstructed Pumpkin Pies in a Jar over on Life, Love, and Sugar by Lindsay.

PREP TIME 2 HOURS | COOKING TIME 20 MINS | SERVES 2-3

INGREDIENTS

For the pumpkin pie layer

250g pumpkin, peeled, seeded, and cut into chunks
3 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp tequila
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

2 tbsp heavy cream

For the cream cheese layer

150g cream cheese
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla

For the biscuit layer

200g Ginger Nut Biscuits, crushed
50g unsalted butter, melted
1/2 tsp salt

METHOD

Pumpkin Pie Layer: Preheat oven to 220C (425F or gas mark 7).
Toss the pumpkin, sugar, spices, and everything nice (liquor) in an oven-safe baking dish. Sorry, I could not resist not saying that! *cheeky grin*
Roast in the oven for about 20 minutes. Once done, set aside to completely cool down before puréeing the pumpkin. Mix the 2 tablespoons of cream into the pumpkin purée thoroughly.
Biscuit Layer: Add the crushed ginger nut biscuits, salt, and melted butter together in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Mix together until well combined. Set aside in the fridge for about 15 minutes to chill.
Cream Cheese Layer: Using an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat, on medium speed, the cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar, and vanilla together in a large mixing bowl until smooth. Set aside in the fridge for about 15 minutes to chill.
Assembly: Add about 1 & 1/2 tablespoons of the ginger nut biscuit crumbs to the bottom of the jar. Layer with 2 tablespoons of the pumpkin pie purée, and the 2 tablespoons of the cream cheese mixture. Repeat the layering process until your jar is full.
Top each with a dollop of cream and a biscuit, of biscuit crumbs. Set in the fridge for about 30 to 60 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

As promised, here’s the announcement: with the on-going pandemic affecting the world to date, enhanced community quarantine here in the Philippines has already proven that it may be a little difficult for me to source the ingredients I need for the dishes I have planned out for the upcoming weeks (hopefully not months).

Public transportation systems have completely ceased, and the only way to get around now is by foot since I do not own a car, and I unfortunately don’t know how to ride a bike. It’s been difficult to get to the nearest market for fresh food, which I learnt on Sunday has also ceased its operations. The only way I can get access to fresh food is at the grocery store, which is even further than our local market.

Anyway, I will definitely have recipes up in the next two weeks since I managed to cook them in advance before we went into enhanced community quarantine. I will still try my best to find ways to source the ingredients I need to keep Amcarmen’s Kitchen up to date. I have some delicious recipes lined up for you until July and I’m excited to share all of them with you!

In the meantime, stay safe guys! Make sure you wash your hands, stay at home if you don’t have a reason to go out, and practice safe social distancing!

BON APPÉTIT

– Ally xx

Red Velvet Cinnamon ‘Love’ Rolls with Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting

February 12, 2020 amcarmenLeave a comment

Hello Everyone! Valentine’s Day is just 2 days away and if you don’t have any creative ideas up your sleeve to surprise your significant other just yet, then I’ve got the perfect recipe for you! These beauties really are the perfect way to show your special someone how much you care about them for Valentine’s Day – or for any occasion as a matter of fact! Love, care, and affection should not only be celebrated and shown on one specific day.

Everyone loves cinnamon rolls, but the regular-shaped ones don’t quite shout ‘creative’ or a perfect Valentine’s Day treat. So why not make them into lovely red velvet heart-shaped rolls? I’m sure your sweetheart will feel even sweeter biting into these fluffy rolls stuffed with fresh red cherries that are topped with a rich vanilla cheese frosting. Simple. Quick. Oh-so tasty!

Before we dive right into tonight’s recipe, here are the two recipes from where I drew my inspiration from for these ‘Love Rolls’: Le Creme de la Crumb by Tiffany and Rasa Malaysia by Bee.

PREP TIME 45 MINS | COOKING TIME 10-12 MINS | MAKES 10 ROLLS

INGREDIENTS

For the dough

3 & 1/4 cups plain all-purpose flour
3/4 cup soy milk
1/4 cup white granulated sugar
60g unsalted butter, melted
1 large free range egg
2-3 tsp red food colouring
2 & 1/4 tsp active quick rise yeast
1/2 tsp salt

For the filling

70g unsalted butter, very soft
1/4 cup white granulated sugar
3 tsp ground cinnamon
Fresh red cherries

For the frosting

115g cream cheese, softened
85g unsalted butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar
3-6 tbsp soy milk
2 tsp vanilla extract

METHOD

Dough: Add the milk and butter to a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the butter is melted and then remove from the heat. If the milk and butter mixture is too hot, allow it to cool down to lukewarm temperature.
In a large mixing bowl, combine 2 & 1/4 cups of flour, sugar, salt, and yeast. Add the milk mixture, egg, and red food colouring. Mix to combine well.
Using the dough hook attachment on your mixer, knead while slowly adding the remaining cup of flour until the dough forms a ball and pulls away from the edges of the bowl. Alternatively, you may also knead by hand. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes.
Filling: Once rested, roll out the dough into a rectangle on a floured surface. Spread the softened butter on top. Combine the cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl, and then sprinkle the mixture on top of the dough.
Cut the dough into 10 strips and make each strip into a heart shape. Transfer the cinnamon rolls onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place a cherry into the centre of each cinnamon roll and cover with a damp towel and to allow them to rise, about 25 minutes.
Preheat oven to 180C (350F or gas mark 4). Bake for 10-12 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to completely cool down.
Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting: In a small mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla. Mix well and then add in the powdered sugar a quarter cup at a time until thick. Add the milk one tablespoon at a time until the frosting is smooth and spreadable.
Spread the frosting over cooled cinnamon rolls and serve immediately. Enjoy it with a cup of hot coffee or tea for a mid-morning or mid-afternoon snack!

BON APPÉTIT

– Ally xx

Halloween Special: Creepy Broken Glass Cupcakes!

October 31, 2015 amcarmenLeave a comment

Hello Everyone! Where do I even begin? Well, how about I start off by wishing everyone a Happy Halloween! So one day, probably about a few weeks ago, I was browsing through my Reader page on WordPress and going through some of the recipes of other bloggers/writers that I follow. I came across a recipe over at Easy Baked which, if I can recall, were for some sort of cupcakes all decked up for Halloween. I really loved the bright purple, orange, and green colours that Ruthanne used to decorated her Halloween-inspired baked goodies. It was from there that I followed a link to her Creepy Broken Glass Cupcakes and I knew from that very moment that I had to tackle that recipe.

I haven’t seen anything quite like that before, and I thought it would be a nice, and fun baking activity on a Sunday afternoon (yes, I actually baked this last Sunday only because I knew I would have time to do so during the week leading up to Halloween, nor on Halloween Day). Also, Ruthanne notes that this is not an original idea of hers as she has seen many examples of these cupcakes online, but rather she made it her goal to create this recipe in the easiest way possible with fewer steps.

Anyway, this recipe gave me a bit of a headache – well, just the broken glass candy part, and a little bit of the red velvet cupcake as well. Let’s just say that with the red velvet, it did not rise as I had wanted it to or hoped, and it wasn’t very red because of the lack of colouring (I used less because my bottle of red ran out). I had actually attempted to make this recipe 2 weeks ago, but because I was so defeated and tired by the end of the afternoon, I gave up and decided to try it out again the following weekend. At least when I tried that week, I managed to get 50% of the recipe done – the frosting and edible blood. I just kept them in the fridge until the following week when I rebaked my muffins and gave the broken glass candy another go (still was not perfect, but made do with what I had).

Basically, with the glass candy, I couldn’t get the sugar to harden – as in it was mushy as still syrup-like. Apparently, as I read in the comments section of Ruthanne’s blog, another person had the same problem and it was purely because the sugar wasn’t cooked for long enough. So make sure that if you want to try this recipe out, cook it just enough so that you won’t get a mushy mess! But obviously not for too long as it will turn amber in colour which, in this case, is not what you want.

PREP TIME 20 MINS | COOKING TIME 25 MINS | SERVES 12 CUPCAKES

INGREDIENTS

For the cupcake batter

185g butter, at room temperature, plus extra melted, to grease
125ml buttermilk
2 large free range eggs
2/3 cup caster sugar
1/2 cup self-raising flour, sifted
1/4 cup plain flour, sifted
2 tbsp cocoa powder
2 tbsp red food colouring
1/4 tsp baking soda

For the cream cheese frosting

250g cream cheese, at room temperature
60g butter, at room temperature
1/3 cup icing sugar, sifted
1/4 tsp vanilla extract

For the ‘broken glass’

1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 tsp clear food flavouring (I used lychee)

For the edible ‘blood’

1 can (395g) sweetened condensed milk
1 tbsp red food colouring
1 tsp clear flavouring (I used lychee)
Black food colouring

METHOD

A tip before starting off: Make the decorations first, the candy glass and edible blood, as you can keep them in the fridge until just before decorating your cupcakes for your party. They can both keep for several days so you can definitely make them ahead of time.

Broken Glass Candy
- Cover a baking tray with wax paper and grease it liberally with cooking oil spray, or alternatively you can grease it with some butter if cooking spray is not readily available in your pantry.
- Place the granulated sugar and corn syrup into a microwave safe bowl and mix them together. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap microwave on high for about 3 minutes. Remove from the microwave and CAREFULLY (beware of the hot steam!) remove the plastic wrap. Stir well and cover again with fresh plastic wrap. Microwave again for another 3 minutes, but check the mixture after about 2 minutes just to make sure that it hasn’t coloured – if you cook the sugar/syrup mixture for too long, it will be amber in colour instead of a nice clear glass you want.
- CAREFULLY remove the bowl from the microwave and CAREFULLY remove the plastic wrap. The mixture will be very hot and sticky so be cautious as to not touch any of the hot candy! Pour the mixture over the greased wax paper and allow it to sit and harden completely (will take a couple of hours).
- When the candy has hardened, tap a knife into the ‘glass’ to break it into sharp pieces (do be careful at this point because the pieces are actually quite sharp themselves!), and push the pieces up off the was paper and onto a plate.
- The glass candy can be kept in a ziplock bag or an airtight container for about a week. Moisture (including the moisture from the frosting on the cupcakes) will eventually start to break the glass candy down.
Edible Blood
- In a small bowl, add the sweetened condensed milk and mix in the flavouring and red food colouring (a bit at a time) until you get a brilliant red colour. Add a tiny bit of black as the colour can go a long way! Mix and adjust until you get a nice dark red colour.
- Spoon the ‘blood’ into a ziplock bag and seal tightly. Keep refrigerated until use.
Red Velvet Cake Mix
- Preheat oven to 180C (350F or gas mark 4). Line a 12 hole muffin pan with black paper cases.
- Sift the baking soda, cocoa powder, plain flour, self-raising flour into a medium-sized bowl and set aside.
- Meanwhile in a large bowl, cream the butter and the sugar using an electric handheld mixer. Mix until pale and creamy. Add the eggs and beat on slow speed, making sure that it’s all blended in. Add the flour mixture into egg mixture and gently fold it in. Finally, add in the buttermilk and red food colouring. Mix together.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling them 3/4 of the way and bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until cooked through. To check if they are done, insert a toothpick in the centre of the muffin.
- Once done, remove from the oven and allow to cool down for about 5 minutes, then transfer them out of the muffin pans and onto a wire rack to allow them to cool down completely.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- Smooth the butter, cream cheese, and vanilla together using an electric handheld mixer. Fold in the icing sugar, and then use the mixer again to beat it until it is light and fluffy.
- Place the frosting into a ziplock bag and refrigerate until use.
Assembly & Decoration
- Place some parchment paper on your work surface to protect it from all the red colouring from your edible blood, or alternatively you can use a platter or tray that you will be serving the cupcakes on.
- Snip off a corner of your ziplock bag of frosting and pipe onto the cooled cupcakes. Press 2 to 3 pieces of the glass candy into the top of each cupcake.
- Snip off a corner of your ziplock bag of edible blood and drizzle over the top of each cupcake and glass candy, allowing it to drip down the sides of both.
- Serve the same day after decorating, with plates and forks or else you will have red fingers! Enjoy a bloody delicious dessert and a very Happy Halloween to all my family, friends, and followers!

Cupcakes taste best on the same day, though they may be stored covered tightly at room temperature for 3 days (undecorated) or in the refrigerator for 5 days.

Once again, a very Happy Bloody Halloween to all my family, friends, and followers! I will be back on Tuesday with a new theme for the month of November so stay tuned!

BON APPÉTIT

– Ally xx

Lemon & Blueberry Layer Cake

August 24, 2015January 16, 2019 amcarmenLeave a comment

Hello Everyone! Today won’t be a Review Sunday as I have a special post for you tonight! Today is my sister, Angela’s, 21st Birthday! I can’t believe that she is my not-so-little sister anymore! How time flies by so quickly. I’m glad that after 4 years of being away, I get to spend today with you! Hope you have the most wonderful of birthdays and hope you like my cake that I made for you! Lots of love, Ate Ally ❤

I have never made this cake before, and unlike the original recipe, she uses plain all-purpose flour while I used plain wholemeal flour. The reason? I didn’t have enough plain flour and I didn’t want to go out to the grocers to buy more, plus I still had a brand new pack of wholemeal flour and decided to give that a go! It still tasted great, but the cake was a bit crumbly when I cut into it, but maybe it was because I may have over measured the flour a bit (as Sally says not to in her recipe… Oops)! Check out the original recipe from one of my favourite bakers: Sally’s Baking Addiction.

PREP TIME 30 MINS | COOKING TIME 30 MINS | SERVES 8-10

INGREDIENTS

For the cake batter

230g unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
4 large free range eggs, at room temperature
3 cups plain wholemeal flour, sifted
1 & 1/2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen
1 cup buttermilk*
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tbsp wholemeal flour
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp ground sea salt
Zest and juice of 3 medium-sized lemons

*Rather than purchasing a whole carton of buttermilk from the store and worrying about what to do with the leftovers before it starts to go bad in the fridge, making your own buttermilk is as simple as 1, 2, 3. Simply measure 1 tbsp of fresh lemon juice (alternatively you can use white vinegar) in a measuring cup and then fill the rest up with full cream milk until you reach 1 full cup. Stir it around, let sit for 5 minutes, and it will be ready to use!

For the zesty cream cheese frosting

1 package (250g) cream cheese, softened
100g unsalted butter, softened
1 & 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1-2 tbsp lemon juice

To decorate

Confectioners’ sugar
Fresh blueberries
Lemon slices and zest

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 180C (about 350F or gas mark 4). With a little bit of butter, grease the bottom and sides of three 8.5-inch cake pans and set aside.
Make the cake batter: Using a electric handheld or stand mixer beat the butter on high until creamy (takes about a minute), then add the granulated and brown sugars. Continue to beat on medium-high speed until creamed, about 2-3 minutes. Add in the eggs and vanilla extract, and beat on medium for a further 2 minutes until the mixture is well combined. Don’t forget to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Set aside.
In a separate medium-sized bowl, add the wholemeal flour, baking powder, and salt, and toss together. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and beat on low speed for about 5 seconds, and then add in the buttermilk, lemon juice, and zest. Remove from the mixer and stir lightly until everything is just combined.
Spoon half of the batter evenly into the three prepared cake pans. If using frozen blueberries, do not thaw as they will bleed into your cake batter. Toss the blueberries in about a tablespoon of flour as well – this way they won’t burst inside and turn your cake purple. Divide the blueberries equally between the three cake pans. Top with the remaining batter equally between the three.
Bake the three layers for about 21-26 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Mine took about 30 minutes, and I even left it in the oven for a further 5 minutes with the heat off. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before frosting.
Make the frosting: Using an electric handheld mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter in a small bowl until smooth. Then beat in the confectioners’ sugar and a few frozen blueberries.
Assemble: Place one cake layer on a serving plate and spread with about 1/3 cup of frosting. Top with the second layer of cake and again spread with another third of the frosting. Top with the last layer and frost the top and sides of the cake. Decorate with fresh blueberries, lemon slices and zest, and a touch of confectioners’ sugar. Store in the fridge before serving. Enjoy!

BON APPÉTIT

– Ally xx

Breakfast Muffins: Spiced Carrot

November 13, 2014December 31, 2018 amcarmen6 Comments

Hello Everyone! Back with another muffin (borderline cupcake) recipe for you! This week, I decided to whip up some lovely spiced carrot muffins while Jialing made some yummy raspberry and white chocolate muffins with a lemon crumb top. I had a bag of about 400g of baby carrots sitting in the fridge, given to me by my housemate Vidhya before she flew off to South Africa. She was telling me how she went out and bought a lot of food, not realising that she’d be jetting off in a few days for a month. So hence why I got the bag of carrots! Now, for those of you who don’t know me that well, I am actually not a fan of carrots. There’s just something about the taste (raw and/or cooked) that I don’t like. I remember how I’d use to add it to my stir-fry just for the colour. I’d eat a slice or two and I’d just be like, no. So when I got this bag of carrots, I had no idea what I was going to do with them. I wanted to give them to Lydia, but I know for a fact that she also does not like carrots. She only eats them because she knows it’s good for your eyes. But other than that, she tries to avoid eating them too.

Solution? Spiced Carrot Muffins! At least this way I won’t taste much of the carrot… I hope. And I still even have 3-4 baby carrots lying in my fridge! No clue what to do with them next. In the end I think my Spiced Carrot Muffins turned out to be Spiced Carrot Cake Cupcakes because I decided to top the muffins with a yummy cream cheese frosting (I know, so much cream cheese for the past week – for those of you who didn’t see it, I made a Red Velvet Cheesecake on the weekend for my birthday!) I know, this week I was supposed to make savoury muffins as I was unintentionally alternating between sweet and savoury. I feel like it’s a mix? Remove the cream cheese frosting and you have a sort of savoury muffin? Maybe. Please also check out the original recipe over on Williams-Sonoma. The original recipe uses raisins, and if you know me, another thing I don’t like. So add them if you want to (about half a cup), otherwise, I replaced them with roughly chopped walnuts. I also tweaked up the spices by adding ground allspice, cloves, and nutmeg. Much yumminess indeed!

PREP TIME 15 MINS | COOKING TIME 15-18 MINS | MAKES 12 MUFFINS

INGREDIENTS

For the muffin batter

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 & 1/2 cups carrots, peeled and finely shredded (2 large carrots, or 4-5 baby carrots)
2 large free range eggs
1 cup buttermilk or sour cream
2/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup walnuts, roughly chopped (optional)
6 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt

For the cream cheese frosting

250g cream cheese, at room temperature
60g butter, at room temperature
1/3 cup icing sugar, sifted
1/4 tsp vanilla extract

METHOD

Preheat oven to 220C. Line a 12 hole muffin pan with paper cases.
Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices into a large bowl and stir together until combined. In another bowl, whisk together the eggs and brown sugar until blended. Whisk in the buttermilk, and then butter.
Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and, using a rubber spatula, stir just until evenly moistened. Fold in the carrots and walnuts just until evenly distributed (reserve some for decorating later).
Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling them 3/4 of the way full. Bake for about 15 to 18 minutes, or until the muffins are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Once done remove from the oven and set aside to completely cool down.
Meanwhile, as the muffins bake in the oven, smooth the butter, cream cheese, and vanilla together using an electric handheld mixer. Fold in the icing sugar, and then use the mixer again to beat it until it is light and fluffy. Place the icing mixture into a piping bag (or a regular zip lock bag if you don’t have one in handy like me, and snip off a corner to allow the frosting through). Frost the muffins/cupcakes, and top with some crumbed walnuts and shredded carrots.

I think I may have gotten Lydia into a dilemma; she now can’t choose between my Banana and Cinnamon Crumb Top Muffins, my Pumpkin and Cheesecake Muffins, and now these babies!

BON APPÉTIT

– Ally xx