Monday, August 2nd, 2010
carrot cake scuffins
I’m a big believer in moderation. Yes, I made coconut peach bourbon cupcakes, but let the record show, I only ate one. And then my thoughts turned to these babies, which are chock full of carrots and raisins and walnuts and all sorts of good things.
I wish I could take credit for the idea of this lovely creation, which is somewhere between a scone and a muffin, and completely good for you. It’s equally great paired with coffee for breakfast or solo for an afternoon snack. Truth be told, I’ve been munching on one all morning.
These lovely little scuffins have just the right amount of sweetness to feel like a treat while staying totally wholesome. I think they’d be a decent diabetic dessert option because you could certainly leave out the sugar altogether and substitute sugar-free syrup.
It should be noted that these are definitely not overly sweet. Upon first taste, Ryan proclaimed that, “they taste healthy.” I liked them, but hey, what do I know. However, I noticed the next day that the maple flavor had become noticeably more pronounced and the scuffins even seemed a bit more moist. Ryan even agreed. Maybe I do know a thing or two.
Carrot Cake Scuffins
Adapted from Oh She Glows
1 cup spelt flour*
1/2 tsp baking power
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice (OR: 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, 1/4 tsp ginger)
2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 large egg
1/2 cup regular oats
1 cup shredded or grated carrots (approx 2 medium)
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup toasted, chopped walnuts
Coconut, for garnish
Preheat oven to 350°F. In a medium bowl, whisk together all of the dry ingredients. Using a food processor or grater, process/grate the carrots. In a medium sized bowl mix together the wet ingredients (carrots, vanilla, oil, maple syrup, egg). Add wet to dry and mix until just incorporated. Stir in the walnuts and raisins. Scoop mixture onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or greased with oil. Scoop about 1/4 cup for each scuffin to make 6 large scuffins, or a bit less to make 9-10 medium scuffins. Wet hands and shape into a circle if desired. Sprinkle with coconut. Bake for 25 minutes or until brown around the edges and cool on a wire rack.
High-Altitude Notes: Bake at 375°F for 15-20 minutes.
*If you don’t have or can’t find spelt flour, you can substitute all-purpose.
yumm what a tasty AND healthy treat! can’t wait to try out this recipe. do you think it would be okay if i used whole wheat flour instead of spelt flour? or honey for the maple syrup?
blissful baker – hi! i would try maybe half whole wheat and half all-purpose flour? spelt is light like all-purpose so whole wheat will change the texture. you could definitely use honey instead of maple syrup, but i love the maple flavor in this!