Description
Mimi’s carrot raisin muffin recipe delivers a perfect balance of sweetness and spice from grandma’s cherished kitchen. Warm spices and plump raisins create a comforting morning treat you’ll savor with morning coffee.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups grated carrots (about 3 – 4 medium carrots)
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
- 2/3 cup vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 tsps ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F (175C) and prepare a muffin tin by lining with paper liners or lightly greasing the surface.
- In a spacious mixing bowl, thoroughly combine the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and aromatic spices including cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves.
- Create a separate mixture by whisking together sugars, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract until smooth and well-integrated.
- Gently incorporate the wet ingredients into the dry mixture, stirring minimally to prevent overmixing and maintain a tender texture.
- Delicately fold in grated carrots, plump raisins, and any desired additional ingredients like chopped nuts, shredded coconut, crushed pineapple, or applesauce.
- Distribute the batter evenly among muffin cups, filling each approximately two-thirds full to allow proper rising during baking.
- Place the muffin tin in the preheated oven and bake for 18-22 minutes, monitoring until a toothpick inserted into the center emerges clean and free of raw batter.
- Remove from the oven and let the muffins rest in the tin for 5 minutes to stabilize their structure.
- Transfer muffins to a wire cooling rack, allowing them to cool completely and develop their full flavor profile.
Notes
- Prevent overmixing the batter to keep muffins tender and light, stopping when ingredients are just combined to avoid developing tough gluten strands.
- Customize the recipe by swapping raisins with dried cranberries, chopped dates, or chocolate chips for different flavor profiles and texture variations.
- Ensure carrots are finely grated to distribute evenly and create moisture throughout the muffins, preventing dry or dense texture.
- Make the recipe gluten-free by substituting all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend, maintaining the same delicious taste and soft crumb.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Snacks, Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 230 kcal
- Sugar: 17 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 11 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 31 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 35 mg