Anything and everything vanilla makes life fabulous!

Ingredients

3 large brown eggs, room temperature

1 pound medium carrots, peeled and finely grated, Cuisinart is best

1 cup white sugar

1 cup vanilla bean sugar, The Vanilla Company sugar is my favorite

1/3 buttermilk

1 ½ cups vegetable oil

1-2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract, The Vanilla Company

3 cups golden raisins (optional)

1 cup walnuts or pecans, toasted and finely chopped (optional)

2 teaspoons baking powder

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 pinches or shakes of ground cloves

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon salt

                       

Now let’s get to baking!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium size bowl, whisk together shredded carrots, eggs, sugar, oil, buttermilk, vanilla extract, raisins and nuts.  If you own a food processor, use this to shred the carrots.

In another medium size bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves.

Combine the flour mixture with the carrot mixture, stir well.  If using a baking pan, I used a cute Wilton bunny pan, coat with butter or spray with Pam.  Bake carrot cake for 30-40 minutes.  If using a muffin tin, fill each ¾ full.  Bake for 23 to 28 minutes.  Insert a cake tester, like a butter knife or bamboo stick, until it comes out clean.

Frost with Cream Cheese Frosting.  I always let anything I bake cool completely before frosting.  But when no one’s looking, I of course lick every spoon and bowl!  Perks of the job I guess!

Isabella’s classmates really enjoyed the muffins for a snack choice.  I omitted the raisins and nuts for food allergy purposes.  I didn’t frosted the muffins because I wanted the children to enjoy without the added sugar.  They loved them and asked me to make them again.  Getting children to eat shredded carrots, WIN!

Happy baking friends!

Peace and Love,

G-

The Vanilla Company, Home of the Vanilla Queen

Check out the website @ www.vanillaqueen.com

So in love with this company and it’s products.  Like really…I can’t get enough!