I thought I’d make something that would use up the last Granny Smith apple. What I settled on was a variation on carrot cake, omitting the pineapple and coconut, and instead using apples, Craisins and wheat bran! Who would have thought that they would have tasted so good!
Ingredients for Carrot Apple Mini Muffins:
I used the following ingredients: Unsalted butter, oil, egg, granulated sugar, brown sugar, buttermilk, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, salt, Calvados (apple brandy), flour, wheat bran, carrot, apple, toasted pecans and Craisins. Wow, that’s a mouthful.
Making the Carrot Apple Craisin Mini Muffins:
First, I grated the carrot, and the peeled and cored apple in the food processor using the small grated blade. Then, I toasted the pecans at 350° F for around 8 minutes, until they were fragrant.
Next, I added the butter, oil, egg, granulated sugar, brown sugar, buttermilk, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, salt, and Calvados to a mixing bowl. I beat it on high until everything was well incorporated. Normally, I would have used vanilla extract, but since I had the Calvados, I thought I’d try it.
Then, I folded in the flour and wheat bran, and stirred it with a wooden spoon just until it was combined.
Next, I added the grated carrot, grated apple, Craisins and toasted pecans. I stirred the mixture just until it was combined.
Then, I used a 1-1/2inch ice cream scoop to the cavities of the mini muffin pan about 3/4 full.
I baked the mini muffins a preheated 350° F oven for about 16 minutes. After 16 minutes, mini muffins were perfectly done. I ended up with 2-1/2 dozen incredible mini muffins. Yum!
Carrot Apple Craisin Mini Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 egg extra large
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1/3 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
- 1 Tablespoon Calvados may use vanilla extract in place of Calvados
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup wheat bran
- 1 cup grated carrots grated with small grater blade
- 1 Granny Smith apple peeled, cored and grated with small grater blade
- 1/4 cup Craisins
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans toasted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F.
- In a large bowl, beat together eggs, butter, oil, buttermilk, white sugar, brown sugar, vanilla extract, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Mix in flour and wheat bran; stir just until combined. Add carrot, apple, Craisins and pecans; stir just until combined.
- Using 1-1/2inch ice cream scoop, fill mini muffin cavities 3/4full.
- Bake in preheated oven for 15 to 18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean. Let cool completely on wire rack.
- Yield: 2-1/2 dozen mini muffins.