Carrot Cake Muffins with Cream Cheese Icing

Since being back at uni, I've definitely found my eating habits have become more sporadic. I either skip breakfast entirely, or dash out the door whilst looking sadly back at a piece of toast and steaming hot cup of tea that I didn't have time to eat. Similarly, lunch is often something grabbed in between lectures, and as much as the cheap food offered in the SU bar is very tempting on a Winter's day, a girl cannot live on chilli chips alone.

So I decided to make these muffins to see me through the week. They contain wholemeal flour, carrots AND raisins, so I think they're pretty healthy. You could of course leave out the dairy and sugar laden icing, to make these even more breakfast appropriate. They're great to pack in your bag and eat on the go.

Also, people love you if you bring them homemade muffins. It's important you know that.

Here's what you'll need and what you need to do with it:

Muffins

100g wholemeal self-raising flour

100g self-raising flour

175g soft brown sugar

1 tsp nutmeg

1 1/s tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

2 eggs

zest 1 orange

150ml sunflower oil

200g carrots , grated

100g raisins

Icing (optional)

100g butter , softened

300g soft cheese

100g icing sugar , sifted

1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and line a 12-hole muffin tin with cases.

2. In a large mixing bowl, mix the sugar, flours, bicarbonate of soda, spices and orange zest. 

3. Whisk together the eggs and oil, then stir into the dry ingredients with the grated carrot and raisins.

4. Divide the mixture between cases and bake for 20-22 mins, then leave to cool on a wire rack before icing. (If you're not icing them, the muffins can go in the freezer for future use once completely cool)

5. For the icing, beat the butter until really soft, then beat in the soft cheese, icing sugar and vanilla. Spread onto the muffins, then stand back and admire their muffiny beauty.