Carrot Streusel Muffins

Now that it's getting colder here, it's always a good idea to have muffins around, especially big, streusely, dome topped muffins. It's also a great time for baking; Being able to stand by a warm oven and stuff warm food into your face, perfecto!

These are definitely autumnal muffins, with earthy flavors and colors from oat bran, cinnamon and carrots. 

The raisins and streusel bring texture and sweetness to the muffins, creating a perfect balance of soft, moist and crunchy. 

Of course, just like any carrot cake, you have many ways to make these muffins extra special. You don't have to just stick with the obvious additions like pineapple, coconut or pecans; Experiment with different spices, dried fruits, zests and glazes. Go wild!

Carrot Streusel Muffins

adapted from Good to the Grain by Kim Boyce

Makes 12 domed muffins

For the Streusel Topping

1/4 cup + 1 tbsp all purpose flour

2 tbsp oat bran

2 tbsp brown sugar

1 tbsp sugar

pinch fleur de sel

2 tbsp butter

1/2 tsp cinnamon

For the Muffins

1 cup (4.6 oz) whole wheat flour

3/4 cup (3.5 oz) all purpose flour

1/4 cup (1.3 oz) oat bran

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 cups (375 ml) coarsely grated carrot (about 2 medium)

1 tsp fleur de sel

1/4 cup (2 oz) butter

1/3 cup (2.5 oz) brown sugar

1/4 cup (2 oz) sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 egg

1 cup low fat yogurt/ buttermilk

optional add ins : raisins, nuts, shredded coconut etc..

Combine all streusel topping ingredients together in a medium bowl. Rub the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture is coarse, like cornmeal. Put this into the fridge while you make the muffin batter.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease/ line a 12-muffin tin. Combine first 5 muffin ingredients in a medium bowl. Stir the grated carrots into this mixture and set aside. In a large bowl, cream the butter, sugars and vanilla. Beat in the egg and cinnamon. Add the yogurt/ buttermilk then the flour mixture alternately to the sugar mixture in 3 additions each. Don't over mix!

Spoon into the prepared muffin tin. The batter should be nearly at the top of the pan. Sprinkle the streusel mixture evenly over each muffin and press into the batter slightly.

Bake for 30-35 minutes until the tops of the muffins are well golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean and dry.

Tips

Boyce suggests filling alternate muffin cups with batter so that the muffins can bake evenly and won't spread into each other. 

If you do this, put a few tablespoons of water into each of the empty muffin cups to improve the moistness of the muffins.

I piped a small amount of glaze onto each muffin made with some powdered sugar, vanilla and yogurt, which I added until I got the desired consistency.