Carrot muffins

One way I know that it's the holiday season is because I'm baking muffins and cookies, and scrutinizing my yeast bread recipes.  I don't normally think of making brioche or panettone, but now it seems the thing to do.  I stand in the grocery aisles pondering items I rarely buy, such as cocoa nips.  Egged on by my friends, I considered baking brownies made with five sticks of butter and over two pounds of chocolate.  Pulling myself back from the brink, I made a promise to keep my baking in the safe and sane category.  Well, sort of safe and sort of sane. 

I made carrot muffins today and thought how muffins aren't sane anymore.  Somehow they Supersized into huge, heavily sweetened lumps of cake.  I hate to grouse about how things were different back in the day, but muffins have changed for the worse.  Once upon a time they were small and slightly sweet, with the texture of a quick bread.  I guess it's reassuring to people when they buy a food item so large it could be used as a door stop.  Look what happened to cinnamon rolls.  Shudder.  I blame shopping center food courts for this nonsense.

Besides giving me the opportunity to feel self-righteous about muffins, it's also an opportunity to pull out the bowl my mother always used when she made cakes, cookies, or muffins.  I remember standing at her side when I was a child watching her cook, always using her mixing bowl.  I use it now and it makes baking special for me.  Here you see the carrots and raisins that went into the batter.  Cranberries can also be substituted for the raisins.
The recipe called for using the large sized muffin pan, but I used a smaller size cup.  The original recipe did not call for sour cream, but the batter was so dry, I couldn't fold the carrots and raisins into it. So this time, I added a scant half cup of sour cream to the recipe.  I also reduced the amount of sugar. I suppose the amount in the recipe is called for if you use dried cranberries, which can be tart.  But, I saw no reason for that with raisins and only used one cup of sugar.  I think that's still pretty high in the sugar department.  This recipe makes a moist, good tasting muffin.

Carrot Muffins

4 large eggs
3/4 cups canola oil
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons poppy seeds
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups shredded carrots (2-3 carrots)
3/4 cup dried cranberries or golden raisins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease 2 muffin pans (large size or not).  I found that the muffins were a little reluctant to slide out of the pans and a baking spray may be better.

In a large bowl combine the eggs, oil, vanilla and sour cream and beat vigorously for about a one minute or until smooth.  In another bowl, add the dry ingredients (except for the carrots and cranberries/raisins), and mix together.  Then add the dry ingredients (not the carrots/raisins) gradually to the wet ingredients.  Try to use as few strokes as possible when mixing the wet and dry ingredients together.  Finally, add the carrots and the cranberries or raisins.  Spoon the batter into prepared muffin pans, filling each cup 3/4 full.  Bake for 20-25 minutes or until they are golden and the tops spring back quickly after they are touched. 

These muffins freeze very well and can be reheated for 8-10 minutes. 

 

Comments

[Helene]

Oh my god, Sherry, these muffins look so good I'm tempted to reach into the monitor to grab a taste. And the carrot/raisin combination in the bowl above the batter . . .a vivid photo. In fact, I've been eating more raisins. A nutritionist I consulted recently recommended putting them into yogurt; the combination does satisfy as a mid-day snack.

I'm having fun reading your blog. Brava! H.