When I read a recipe that includes ingredients I have on hand, I am inspired to try it. When that recipe calls for ingredients I need to use up, the temptation becomes paramount. That’s the story behind these muffins. Carrots I’d been meaning to eat and a jar of marmalade that had been chilling in my fridge for who knows how long. I’m not a marmalade fan on toast, so I must have purchased it for another recipe and had half a jar left. I hate that!
“These tender muffins are like mini-not-too-sweet carrot cakes, with a drop of of marmalade tucked into the center of each one. “ That is how the recipe was eloquently described when I received it on-line from the NYT.
Mine didn’t turn out like carrot cake. That’s because I didn’t follow the recipe directions. I didn’t have whole wheat flour, so I subbed all-purpose—cup for cup. Because all-purpose is softer than whole wheat and has a lower gluten content, the muffins baked up soft. They weren’t like carrot cake, crumbly and dense, My muffins were so tender they barely needed chewing. They were so soft from the lower gluten flour that the marmalade didn’t stay in the middle. It fell to the bottom. But since the muffins didn’t stick to the muffin cups, I had no complaints. My muffins were lovely with a hint of juicy marmalade to sweeten them up.
The NYT also suggests that you can play around with the spices, switch out the marmalade, even the carrot is negotiable—shredded butternut squash or apple will work just as well.
The NYT uses 2 bowls to make these muffins. One for the dry ingredients and the other for the moist. They are stirred together and divided among muffin cups. I needed to shred my carrots so I took out my food processor. I shredded them with my slicing blade, removed them to a small bowl and continued to make the batter in the already dirty food processor. So easy and fast.
I froze them and each morning I popped one in the microwave for 15 seconds and relished each bite with my morning cup of Joe. What a lovely way to begin the day.
Drop the marmalade into the center of the batter and it will fall to the bottom when baked.
They have a beautiful golden dome when baked.
Carrot Muffins with Marmalade
Cooking spray or butter
1 1/4 cups/155 grams whole-wheat flour
1/2 cup/45 grams old-fashioned oats
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cardamom (or cinnamon or ginger)
1/2 teaspoon fine sea or table salt
1/2 cup/120 grams plain whole-milk yogurt
2 large eggs
1/2 cup neutral oil, such as grapeseed or avocado, or melted butter
1/2 packed cup/110 grams light brown sugar
1 teaspoon finely grated orange or lemon zest
1 packed cup/110 grams finely grated carrot (from 2 medium carrots)
1/4 cup marmalade
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a 12-cup standard muffin tin with paper liners or generously grease with nonstick cooking spray or butter.
To make in bowl: In a large bowl, whisk the flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, cardamom and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk the yogurt, eggs, ½ cup oil, sugar and zest until just smooth. Whisk in carrots. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and gently stir with a flexible spatula just until no streaks of flour remain.
To make in food processor: Pulse flour, oats, baking powder, soda, cardamom and salt. Add yogurt, eggs, oil, sugar and zest and pulse to combine. Pulse in carrots
Divide about two-thirds of the batter evenly among the muffin cups. Top each with a heaping teaspoon of marmalade, then cover the marmalade with remaining batter.
To bake: Bake for 5 minutes at 425 degrees. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees and continue to bake until the muffins spring back when lightly pressed, 13 to 18 minutes longer. (A tester may emerge with crumbs attached, but there shouldn’t be any raw batter clinging).
Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then unmold and serve warm or cool completely.
To prepare ahead: Muffins may be refrigerated for several days or frozen.
Makes 12 muffins
