Grain Free Coconut Flour Carrot Cake Muffins

With the unseasonably warm mid January weather we had this year, I pulled a bunch of carrots from my garden around the 3rd week of the month! This is the latest we have ever harvested carrots, New years day being the typical last dig. So I figured their tenacity should be rewarded by giving them staring roll in something yummy. Like a carrot cake type muffin, full of pecans and warming spices, maybe with some flame raisins thrown in. But, alas, the urge to bake and the supplies in my cupboard do not always cooperate. Being out of almond flour, which is my favourite grain free flour for muffins, I decided to give coconut flour another go. I generally like it in a combination, but on its own, it has always left me somewhat disappointed. But, when I baked these little yummies  (http://urbanposer.blogspot.ca/2011/08/chai-spice-coconut-flour.html ) a few weeks back, I was pleasantly surprised! Maybe there was hope for coconut flour on its own after all! So, after some measuring and tweaking and grating, this little beauty was born.  I have a feeling coconut flour will be used a lot more in my kitchen!

Grain Free Coconut Flour Carrot Cake Muffins 

1/2 cup coconut flour

1/3 cup of kefir or yogurt

4 eggs, preferably pastured

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

1/3 cup organic maple syrup

1/3 cup organic coconut oil, melted

1 tsp organic vanilla extract

1 tsp organic cinnamon

¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg

Pinch of cloves

Whiz all of these ingredients together with a stick blender (or whisk if you are feeling particularly ambitious!) until very well incorporated. 

Add:

1 cup grated organic carrots

½ cup chopped pecans

1/3 cup organic flame raisins or other raisins of choice

1 tsp grated orange rind (choose organic!!)

½ cup organic unsweetened flaked coconut (shredded would also be fine)

Mix well, ensuring ingredients are thoroughly mixed. Let batter stand for 5 minutes to thicken up.

Scoop into muffin tins lined with papers, or well greased. (mine made 12)

Bake at 350 for 20-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Let cool 5 minutes in pan before removing to a rack to cool.

Keep at room temp for the first day, refrigerate after that. They freeze well!

Update: I have since topped these with a whipped organic cream cheese and coconut jam icing. My container of cream cheese was 200 grams, and I used about 1/4 cup of the Cocovie Vanilla Coconut Jam, and enough kefir to thin, maybe 1/4 cup. I whipped it all in my stand mixer with the whisk attachment, adding about a tbsp of kefir at a time until it was a nice consistency. Very yummy addition! Adjust the amount of coconut jam to your desired level of sweetness.