Whole Grain Carrot Cake Muffins

I recently received the cutest heart shaped muffin tin, in honor of Valentine’s Day. Gifting me a new piece of cooking ware is just as exciting as gifting me a new pair of running shoes. Obviously I wanted to make something with it stat, so a new muffin recipe was calling my name!

First, here’s a little known secret about muffins. Most muffin recipes are pretty similar to cupcakes. Full of sugar and butter, the only difference between most muffins and cupcakes is the omission of icing. But I’m happy to say that’s not the case when I make muffins. I use whole grain ingredients, keep the sugar to a minimum and add some fruits of veggies into the mix (have you tried my pumpkin muffins yet?).

With all of that being said, carrot cake muffins are right up my alley. The carrots, raisins and warm spices make these just sweet enough. Oats and whole wheat flour serve as the base, so these muffins are full of protein and fiber. Plus, they are super moist, soft and just plain delicious.

I made these in a heart shaped muffin tin, so they are the perfect Valentine’s Day morning treat for your sweetie. But you can also make them in a regular old muffin tin and serve them any time of the year.

Whole Grain Carrot Cake Muffins

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Servings 6 muffins

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup oats
• 1 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• pinch of salt
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 cup grated carrots about 1 large carrot
• 1/4 cup oil
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup raisins
• Cooking spray

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. In a large bowl combine the whole wheat flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg.
3. In a separate bowl, combine the carrots, oil, maple syrup, egg, milk and vanilla. Whisk until well combined.
4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients bowl and mix well. Add the raisins to the muffin mixture and stir.

5. Spray the muffin tin with cooking spray. Using a 1/4 measuring cup, evenly divide the mixture between 6 muffin slots (about 3/4 full). Bake for 12 minutes. Set aside to cool.