Carrot Cake Puds

As Christmas approaches, many thoughts are fixed on what to cook over the festive season. As much as I love fresh cream desserts, their limited shelf life can sometimes steer me away from them, and in turn encourages me to opt for a few baked goods in their place. Ones that can be served as a dessert, or pair equally well with a cuppa, are most ideal. These carrot cake muffins work as a nice alternative to Christmas pudding. Crystallised cranberries and mint leaves make for a festive topping but, alternatively, the upside-down muffins can be topped with chopped nuts of your choice. These festive muffins can be thrown together with ease, making them a great option when you've a few little helpers in the kitchen.

Ingredients

• 125g wholemeal flour
• 125g plain flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 250g light muscovado sugar
• 200g grated carrot
• 75g dried prunes, finely chopped
• 4 free range eggs, lightly beaten
• 200ml sunflower or rapeseed oil

For Icing

• 150g mascarpone cheese
• 50g butter, softened
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 300g icing sugar, sieved

To Decorate

• 1 egg white
• 125g cranberries
• 18-25 mint leaves
• 50g caster sugar

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/Gas 6.
2. Place the wholemeal flour in a large bowl and sieve in the plain flour, baking powder, cinnamon and sugar.
3. Add the carrots and prunes. Stir well, with a wooden spoon, until they are thoroughly combined with the dry ingredients. If the chopped prunes are in clumps disperse through the dry ingredients using your hands.
4. Add the lightly beaten eggs to a jug with the oil. Pour the eggs and oil into the bowl and stir well until all the ingredients are combined together.
5. Divide the mixture between 18 muffin cases.
6. Bake the muffins, in the preheated ovens, for 25 minutes and they are risen and golden.
7. Remove from the oven and leave to cool on a wire tray.
8. While the muffins are cooling make the creamy topping. Put the mascarpone, butter, vanilla extract and icing sugar into a bowl and beat together until smooth and creamy.
9. To prepare the cranberries and mint leaves for decorating; in a bowl gently whisk the egg white with a fork. Brush the cranberries and mint leaves with a little of the egg white. Roll the cranberries in the sugar. Then place the mint leaves flat on a plate and generously sprinkle over the remaining caster sugar. Leave to dry for at least 15 minutes.
10. When the muffins have completely cooled, take each from their paper wrapper. The muffins will be decorated upside down to give the ‘pudding’ look.
11. Spread a large spoonful of the icing over each muffin and smooth, using a palette knife.
12. Decorate with the crystallised cranberries and the mint leaves, or else a generous sprinkling of chopped hazelnuts.