Whole Grain “Carrot Cake” Muffins

This isn’t going to sound very Easter-y for a moment, but hang with me, it will all make sense in just a moment. So. Lately, several members of our extended family have been dealing with some pretty serious health concerns including high blood sugar, GI and heart issues. Everyone is doing what they need to recuperate and get healthy, which is good. But, in the midst of seeing people I love dealing with all this, it occurred to me that my husband and I, and even our kids probably have a pretty high genetic predisposition to these same health issues. And while I’ve been well aware I need to take better care of myself, and I’m always working towards taking better care of my family, something about this realization just struck me in a much more intense way. 

I’ve really jumped into gear, especially with our diet. (Naturally a food blogger would start with diet, right?) I’ve been really working on making sure all of us eat ALOT more vegetables, and bit less of everything else. I’ve been swapping our our white carbs for real whole grains. Plus, I’ve been trying to cut out most sugar (I’m down to 1 tsp a day!), junk food, and fast food. Now, I’m not saying we’re never going to eat sugar, or white carbs, or junk food. But, I’m really, really trying to keep that stuff as a real treat now and again, not as a major part of any of our diet. 

All this hasn’t been exactly easy. I’m sure I’m not the only one who find it way too easy to slide back into old habits; but overall I feel like we’ve made some real progress. So, when I started working on recipes for Easter brunch and planning Easter baskets I found myself thinking a little harder about what to make then normal, because I didn’t want to end up sabotaging the forward progress we’ve made. I decided that what I really needed to do was pick one really awesome sweet treat that we’d really enjoy, like these adorable Petit Fours from Dean & DeLuca (<=Aff. link), and otherwise try to keep my menu on the healthier side and maybe make most  of my Easter basket items something other then candy.  I wanted to create a treat for Easter brunch that incorporated those whole grains we’ve been working on, but was still tasty. 

And now you can see how today’s recipe, Whole Grain Carrot Cake Muffins was born! I’m really pleased with how these muffins turned out, and I think you will be too when you make them. I will admit, I’d like to see about creating a reduced sugar version of the recipe so it can be an everyday breakfast at our house, not just an Easter treat. But, meanwhile, I’m very pleased for them to be a little indulgence for the holiday. They have all the wonderful spice, and carrot flavor of a really good carrot cake. There’s perfectly moist, but not too moist. You know what I mean, moist where the entire muffin gets almost sticky and falls apart? Top it with a little cream cheese glaze if you’re indulging, or keep it plain if you’re watching the calories. Either way delicious, and a perfect addition to the Easter brunch menu! 

Happy Easter! 

Whole Grain “Carrot Cake” Muffins– Yields 6 jumbo muffins. Adapted from Morning Glory Muffins Recipe on the Bob’s Red Mill Whole Wheat flour bag! Cooking method adapted from Sally’s Baking Addiction. 

• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup bran
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon all spice
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger
• 3 large eggs
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 1/3 cup apple sauce 
• 1/4 cup milk or soy milk
• 2 cups grated carrot
• 1 cup pecans

1. Preheat the oven to 425*. Line a jumbo muffin pan with parchment paper cups or spray well with oil, set aside. 
2. Add the flour, bran, brown sugar, white sugar, baking soda, salt, and spices to the bowl of a large stand mixer. Mix until all dry ingredients are well combined. Add the eggs, oil, applesauce, milk, and grated carrots to the bowl. Mix until a thick wet batter is formed. Add the pecans and mix in gently using a spoon. Divided the batter evenly between the 6 cups of the prepared muffin pan.  
3. Place the muffins on the center rack and bake at 425* for 5 minutes. Without opening the oven reduce the temperature to 350* and bake for an additional 25-30 minutes until the tops of the muffin are a deep golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Transfer the muffins to a wire rack and cook before glazing (if desired) or serving. 

Sweet Cream Cheese Drizzle (optional)

• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 4 tablespoons cream cheese
• 1 teaspoon vanilla 
• 1-2 tablespoons milk

1. Add all ingredients to a small saucepan. Melt together all ingredients over low heat, stirring frequently until well combined. Drizzle over muffins.