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Thursday, July 14, 2011

Carrot Zucchini Muffins with Candied Ginger

I don't know which ingredient to thank, but I have never had muffins bake up so nicely. They were sturdy and full but not heavy, more reminiscent of a bakery muffin than a Sweets Life muffin! With two types of vegetables in them, you can easily justify eating more than one for breakfast...especially once you taste their goodness! I baked these, let them cool completely, and then placed them in a Ziploc bag to freeze. When ready to serve, we let them thaw and reheated slightly in a warm oven. I also tried a few that just thawed and were still a bit cold and they were every bit as good! If you can serve these shortly after making them, go that route, but if not, I recommend freezing to preserve their perfect texture (thanks Maria for the tips!).

The chunks of candied ginger were a nice addition, but if you're not a fan, feel free to exclude. As for me, I plan to add more next time!

One Year Ago: Chocolate Angel Food Cupcakes

Carrot Zucchini Muffins with Candied Ginger
adapted from Teenie Cakes

Ingredients:
-2 cups all-purpose flour
-1 cup whole-wheat flour
-1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
-1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
-1 tsp baking soda
-1/4 tsp baking powder
-1 tsp kosher salt
-1/4 cup crystallized ginger, cut into small pieces
-3 large eggs
-1 cup vegetable oil
-1 1/4 cups sugar
-2 tsp vanilla extract
-1 cup grated carrots
-1 cup grated zucchini
-1/2 cup walnuts

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350F. Spray a 12-cup muffin pan with cooking spray and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, sift together flours, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, and baking powder. Mix in the salt and crystallized ginger.
3. Whisk eggs in a separate bowl until foamy. Mix in oil, sugar, and vanilla, whisking until sugar dissolves. Stir in carrots, zucchini, and walnuts.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, stirring just until combined. Divide batter evenly amongst prepared muffin cups.
5. Bake for 20-22 minutes until muffins have risen and an inserted toothpick comes out clean.