Makes 12, approx. 3 - 4 oz muffins
So, so delicious! Every bite is better than the last. Crunchy and crisp tops. Soft, moist and billowy bottoms. These muffins are incredibly easy to make. The key to success: keep mixing to a minimum. Avoid electric mixers and beaters. A simple rubber spatula is all you need to fold the ingredients together.
Carrots, with their relatively high sugar content, make them perfect for baking applications. Using warm spices of ginger and cardamom, these are far from what you'd expect from a spiced muffin. If you've never used cardamom, with its peppery lemon peel essence, it is a welcoming spice for springtime.
Dry Ingredients:
10 oz all purpose flour
4 oz sugar
.6 oz double acting baking powder
.1 oz salt
1 1/4 tsp ginger
1 tsp cardamom
1 tsp orange zest
1/2 tsp nutmeg
Wet Ingredients:
6 oz heavy cream
2 1/2 oz water
2 oz butter, unsalted
2 large eggs
1 Tbsp orange juice (fresh squeezed preferred)
1 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
Muffin Mix-Ins:
8 oz carrots, peeled and finely grated
Crumb Topping: (Optional)
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 oz butter, unsallted, room temperature
1/4 tsp ginger
1/8 tsp cardamom
Pinch nutmeg
Pinch salt
Glaze: (Optional)
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
1 Tbsp orange juice, (fresh squeezed preferred)
1-3 tsp milk
Pinch salt
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 500F degrees. DO NOT USE CONVECTION FAN SETTING. Set oven rack to middle position. Using medium-sized paper liners, line muffin tin for 12-muffins.
Prepare crumb topping: pulse all ingredients in a food processor or rub together in fingers until mixture resembles fine crumbs.
Preheat oven to 500F degrees. DO NOT USE CONVECTION FAN SETTING. Set oven rack to middle position. Using medium-sized paper liners, line muffin tin for 12-muffins.
Prepare crumb topping: pulse all ingredients in a food processor or rub together in fingers until mixture resembles fine crumbs.
In a large mixing bowl, sift together all dry ingredients.
In a separate medium bow, gently whisk together all wet ingredients until well combined.
In the dry ingredient bowl, mix the grated carrots in to dust and coat all the small carrot pieces. (this will suspend the carrot pieces evenly through the batter. If this step is not done, all the carrot pieces will sink to the bottom of the muffin liner and burn)
Make a well in the dry ingredient bowl. Pour the wet ingredients into the well. Using large folding motions with a rubber spatula, carefully fold the wet mixture into the dry mixture. Fold just until dry mixture is barely combined. Batter should be visibly lumpy. Allow to rest for 30 seconds.
Using a 1/4 cup measure or 1/4 cup cookie scoop, portion batter into lined muffin tins. Generously, sprinkle crumb topping mixture evenly over muffins.
Place muffins in center of the oven rack. Reduce oven immediately to 400F degrees. Bake until puffy, evenly browned, and a toothpick is inserted comes out clean, about 20 - 25 minutes. While baking, prepare glaze.
For glaze, stir the sugar and orange juice together. Stir in just enough milk to run smoothly off spoon.
Glaze muffins while still hot or warm. Serve warm and fresh. Store covered or in an air tight container.
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