Carrot Ginger Muffins

Recipes that require a stand mixer for muffins are a pet peeve of mine. This is a “quick bread” which for me means two bowls and you’re done.

Dry Ingredients:

1⁄2 t kosher salt
1 t ground cinnamon
3⁄4 t ground ginger
1⁄2 t baking soda
2 t baking powder
2 1⁄4 c all purpose flour
1⁄3 c granulated sugar
1⁄3 c brown sugar, packed
1⁄3 c chopped crystallized ginger
1 t orange zest
1⁄3 c chopped pecans (or walnuts, optional)

Wet Ingredients:

1⁄3 c avocado oil (or any neutral oil)
2 eggs
1 t vanilla
3⁄4 c apple juice or sauce
2 carrots, grated (about 11⁄2 cups)
Sparkling sugar, for garnish

Cream Cheese Frosting:

4 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
1 T softened butter
2-21⁄2 c confectioners’ sugar
1 t vanilla bean paste (or extract)

Butter 12 spots, or use baking papers, leaving space between each muffin, on two 12-muffin muffin pans and set aside. I alternate and leave space between muffins to circulate more heat and get a better rise. This is optional. Preheat the oven to 350.

Add all dry ingredients to a medium bowl and stir to combine.

In a large bowl, whisk oil, eggs, vanilla, and apple juice together.

Add dry ingredients to the wet and stir as little as possible to combine. Fold in grated carrots. Fill 12 spots on your muffin tins, sprinkle tops with sparkling sugar and bake about 20 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean.

While muffins bake, use a hand mixer, or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, to beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla on medium speed until smooth and creamy. On low speed, add in confectioners’ sugar. Increase speed once sugar is incorporated and beat until smooth.

Remove muffins from the oven and let cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Remove muffins from the pans and cool completely on a wire rack. Spread or pipe frosting on cooled muffins.