Cooking: 25mins
Makes 12
You will need:
- 200g/7oz soft light brown sugar
- 200ml/7floz sunflower oil
- 2 medium eggs
- 200g/7oz plain flour
- 2.5ml/1/2 tsp baking powder
- 2.5ml/1/2tsp bicarbonate of soda
- pinch of salt
- 5ml/1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 200g/7oz carrots, peeled and grated
- 50g/2oz walnut pieces, chopped
- 5ml/1 tsp vanilla essence
For the icing:
- 225g/ icing sugar, sifted
- 25g/1oz unsalted butter
- 75g/3oz chilled full fat cream cheese
- food colouring and writing icing
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 170C/Fan 150C/325F/Gas Mark 3. Line a deep 12-hole muffin tin with paper cases.
- Place the sugar, oil and eggs in a large bowl, then beat together with a wooden spoon until the mixture is smooth and thickened.
- Sift over the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt and cinnamon then fold in until well mixed.
- Fold in the carrots, walnuts and vanilla essence.
- Divide the mixture between the paper cake cases and bake in the middle of the oven for 25mins or until golden, risen and the middle bounces back when lightly pressed.
- Leave to cool in the tin for 5mins before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
For the icing :
- Use an electric whisk to beat the icing sugar and butter together in a large bowl until fluffy.
- Add the cream cheese and briefly beat together again until just combined.
- Don’t overbeat or it will become runny.
- Spread the icing over the muffins, then let the kids go mad icing the cakes with spooky characters.
- Un-iced these muffins freeze well.
- Once cool pack them into a freezer proof container or bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
- Thaw at room temperature for about 1 hour, then ice as instructed.
Recipe and photo credits - British Carrots website
