Yum
We've had a huge amount of courgettes (we use the term courgette in the UK instead of zucchini) growing in our garden this year which has left me searching for new recipes to use them up. My favourites have been this lovely recipe from Alexx Stuart for Roast Zucchini and Basil Rosettes. And these amazing wee carrot and courgette muffins. The kids prefer the cakes! I've adapted Chloe Coscarelli's recipe for Maple Glazed Carrot Cupcakes from Chloe's Vegan Desserts, so they work beautifully as just carrot cupcakes (use 2 cups of grated carrots).
I've also made these as gluten free versions, and they work really well. You may want to add a tiny bit more orange juice to make them as moist, as gluten free flour tends to absorb a little more liquid.
I make a batch of these every few weeks as they are so quick and moreish!
Carrot and Courgette (Zucchini) Muffins
(Egg free, dairy free, vegan and can be gluten free)
Ingredients
1 cup sultanas
1 cup fresh orange juice
2 cups plain flour
3/4 cup of sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground mixed spice
1 cup peeled grated carrot
1 cup grated courgette (peel if old but if young leave on the skin)
1/2 cup oil
1 tablespoon cider apple vinegar
Method
Makes 18
Pre-heat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4.
1. Measure out the orange juice and sultanas using the easy read measuring cups. Place both in a small batter bowl to allow the sultanas to soak up some of the orange and become nice and plump and juicy.
2. In a Classic batter bowl, add the plain flour and sugar. Then measure out the baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt, cinnamon and mixed spice using the adjustable measuring spoons and add to the classic batter bowl. Use a stainless whisk to mix them together well and aerate the flour.
3. Peel and grate the carrot and courgette using a microplane course grater and add to the wet ingredients in the small batter bowl.
4. Measure out the oil and cider apple vinegar and add to the wet ingredients. Stir with a mix n scraper.
5. Add the wet ingredients to the dry in the classic batter bowl and mix with the mix n scraper until everything is combined.
6. Use the large scoop to measure out the mixture evenly into 18 cupcake wrappers in a stoneware 12 cup muffin pan or muffin pan.
7. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown on top.
8. Cool on a stackable cooling rack. Then watch them disappear in super quick time.
If you want to ice them a basic "butter" icing made with Pure spread and icing sugar and a few drops of lemon juice. It tastes amazingly like cream cheese icing when added to the cakes.
