Carrot Spice Muffins

This is the legacy of a last-minute Labor Day weekend trip to Bar Harbor. While preparing for an afternoon of sea kayaking, we chatted with a young Indian couple who were staying at our bed and breakfast. The man regretted that the kayaking would make him miss the carrot mini-muffins that our host set out daily around four o’clock. We had no idea, but made it a point to be at the B&B the next afternoon.

Have ready:

2 large eggs
2/3 cup (125 g.) brown sugar
1/2 cup safflower or other bland oil
1/4 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups (210 g.) finely grated carrots
1/2 cup (85 g.) raisins or currants

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 cup (60 g.) chopped walnuts

Advice at the outset: Use the weight rather than the volume measurements. This recipe alone would justify the purchase of a small kitchen scale. And pick up a fine grater if you don’t have one. The carrots need to be finely grated

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly oil either a mini-muffin pan (two dozen) or standard muffin pan (one dozen). Mix the first seven ingredients — eggs, brown sugar, oil, milk, vanilla, carrots, and raisins — in a large bowl. Mix remaining dry ingredients in a smaller bowl.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir by hand until all dry ingredients are incorporated. Try not to over-mix. Spoon into the prepared muffin pans. Bake mini-muffins for 14 to 15 minutes, standard muffins for 25 to 30 minutes. Check for doneness a minute or so before the time is up.