Hey there, fellow food adventurers!
This weekend, I decided to dive headfirst into some serious kitchen therapy, and let me tell you, the results were absolutely divine! I'm talking about these phenomenal Vegan Carrot Muffins, bursting with the warm, comforting flavors of cinnamon and ginger. Trust me, even Duncan, our resident taste tester (aka the cat), gave them a purr-fect rating!
Speaking of spice, it was high time to tackle my spice cabinet chaos. After what I can only describe as 'intense research' (mostly me staring at jars), I finally invested in some new spice jars. Forty of them to be exact! I'm so excited to have a proper spice lab now. It's the little things, right?
Home improvements are definitely keeping me busy! I recently wrestled with our bathroom door, which had layers upon layers of paint. It was like an archaeological dig, but with less dirt and more elbow grease. Luckily, it scrubbed up beautifully, and now I can move on to the next project – my study. A quiet, door-shutting workspace is on my wish list - working in the corner of the living room is not cutting it anymore!
But let's get back to these muffins. They are incredibly easy to make, requiring just one bowl - which means less washing up! The wholemeal spelt flour gives them a lovely texture, and the coconut adds a hint of tropical goodness. I've studded them with walnuts and little cubes of stem ginger. What a combo! I used my homemade applesauce to keep them super moist, but if you don't have any on hand, shop-bought sauce works just as well, or even a bit of pureed pineapple. Who knew?
These muffins are just begging to be enjoyed with a mug of something warm on a sunny day, before the colder weather really hits us. So, here’s the recipe – go on, treat yourself!
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients:
- 1 tbsp ground flax or chia seeds
- 150 g / ¾ cup brown or coconut sugar
- 170 g / ⅔ cup smooth applesauce
- 80 ml / ⅓ cup light olive oil (or other neutral oil)
- 10 ml / 2 tsp lemon or lime juice
- 8 ml / 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 30 ml / 2 tbsp plant milk or water
Dry Ingredients:
- 35 g / ½ cup desiccated coconut
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 ½ tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 180 g / 6.3 oz (heaped 1 ½ cups) wholemeal spelt flour (or oat flour for GF)
- 1 tsp baking soda (GF certified if needed)
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder (GF certified if needed)
- 220 g / 7 ¾ oz (2 lightly packed cups) coarsely grated carrots
Optional Extras:
- 50 g / ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans
- 65 g / 2 ¼ oz (4 balls) stem ginger, diced
- Untoasted coconut flakes, for decoration
Method
- Mix ground seeds with 45 ml / 3 tbsp water, set aside in the fridge to thicken.
- Preheat oven to 180°C / 355°F. Line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper liners.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, applesauce, oil, lemon juice, vanilla, and the flax/chia mixture. Add the extra 30ml plant milk.
- Stir in the desiccated coconut, salt, and spices.
- Gently fold in the flour in three batches, then add the baking soda and baking powder.
- Stir in the grated carrots, walnuts, and stem ginger.
- Divide the batter among the muffin holes, decorate with coconut flakes, bake for 28-30 minutes. Cool completely before removing from the tin.
Notes:
- Spelt Flour: Can be replaced with wholemeal wheat flour.
- Oat Flour: May need 10-15 minutes extra baking time.
- Stem Ginger: Can be replaced with candied ginger, raisins, or chopped apricots.
Go on, give these muffins a go! If you make them, tag me on Instagram using #lazycatkitchen and @lazycatkitchen – I love seeing your versions!
Happy Baking!