Carrot cake muffins

Carrots add moisture and sweetness to these lightly-spiced muffins which have a soft, fluffy crumb with hints of chewy coconut and juicy chunks of pineapple.

 Makes: 9 muffins

Ingredients

1/4 cup sorghum/jowar flour

1/4 cup rice flour

1/4 cup rolled oats or oatmeal (use certified gluten-free oats if making it for a special diet)

1/4 cup brown sugar (I used demarara sugar; if using unsweetened milk add an extra teaspoon of sugar)

3 tablespoons fine dessicated coconut

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ginger

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda/ baking soda

1 cup coarsely grated carrot (grate just prior to ensure it is crisp)

1/3 cup finely chopped fresh or canned pineapple

3/4 cup milk (I used non-dairy hazelnut milk)

 Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Grease 9 holes of a cupcake tin (for making small cupcakes not giant muffins; about 5 cm/ 2 inches diameter at the top) or line with greased paper cases. Grind the rolled oats or oatmeal with the cloves to a powder. Place the sorghum and rice flours in a bowl and add the ground oats, coconut, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, bicarbonate of soda and baking powder. Mix with a spoon or whisk until the ingredients are well-combined. 

Add the pineapple, carrot (freshly grated) and the milk and mix until all the dry ingredients are incorporated. Divide the muffin batter evenly between the holes of the tin. Bake for 25-30 minutes until risen and golden and a skewer or knife inserted in the muffin comes out clean (it might be slightly sticky from the pineapple but there should be no wet batter). Allow to cool for 3-5 minutes until you can handle them comfortably. Cool the muffins further or serve hot.