Carrot Cake Muffins
This recipe is adapted from the Carrot Cake recipe in Elana Amsterdam's Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook. She uses grapeseed oil and agave nectar, while I prefer ghee and honey. These are barely sweet at all and quite moist. Very good spread with cream cheese. The recipe includes baking soda, which is on the list of foods to avoid on the GAPS protocol because it can reduce stomach acid. I'll play around with the recipe and see if it will work without the baking soda. In the meantime, enjoy these at your own risk and perhaps with a mug of warm broth and kraut juice to make up for the damage.
This recipe is adapted from the Carrot Cake recipe in Elana Amsterdam's Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook. She uses grapeseed oil and agave nectar, while I prefer ghee and honey. These are barely sweet at all and quite moist. Very good spread with cream cheese. The recipe includes baking soda, which is on the list of foods to avoid on the GAPS protocol because it can reduce stomach acid. I'll play around with the recipe and see if it will work without the baking soda. In the meantime, enjoy these at your own risk and perhaps with a mug of warm broth and kraut juice to make up for the damage.
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 5 eggs
- 1/2 cup honey
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- 1/4 cup ghee at room temperature (should be liquid or near)
- 3 cups grated carrots
- 1 cup dried fruit (raisins chopped apricots, cranberries), optional
- 1 cup nuts crispy or roasted, chopped (walnuts, hazelnuts, pecans), optional or shredded coconut
- 3 cups blanched almond flour
- Carbohydrate 27.5835883333333 g
- Cholesterol 96.125 mg
- Fat 27.698525 g
- Fiber 5.07189994055405 g
- Protein 11.58708 g
- Saturated Fat 4.22236 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (147g)
- Sodium 467.155166666667 mg
- Sugar 22.5116883927793 g
- Trans Fat 17.668101 g
- Calories 402 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Grease muffin pan with ghee (or get a Demarle muffin pan and never grease again).
- In a large bowl, mix flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
- Combine thoroughly and use your fingers to break up any chunks of almond flour.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, ghee, and honey together, then add to the almond flour mixture and stir until thoroughly combined.
- Mix in carrots, fruit, and nuts.
- Scoop batter into muffin cups.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, turning the pan once half-way through baking, until a toothpick inserted into the center of one of the center muffins comes out clean.
- Let the muffins cool in the pan for 20 minutes or so, then serve.
Managing Almond Flour Texture
Unlike standard wheat flour, almond flour lacks gluten networks to trap expanding gases, relying instead on protein coagulation from the eggs and the leavening action of baking soda. Because almond flour has a high fat and moisture content by nature, treating the batter with care prevents the oils from separating prematurely during the initial mixing phase. Ensure the ghee is fully liquid or near room temperature before incorporating it with honey and eggs, as cold fat will solidify into greasy droplets rather than emulsifying smoothly into the wet base.
Cooling and Setting Mechanics
Allowing the baked muffins to rest undisturbed in the pan for twenty minutes lets the internal temperature stabilize and the fragile crumb set completely without collapsing. Freshly baked almond flour goods are notoriously delicate while hot, and attempting immediate extraction will tear the exterior crusts apart against the greased sides of the tin. Once cooled, store the batch in an airtight container where the natural sugars from the carrots and honey will maintain the moisture levels for several days.
