Merry Christmas to all Apron's Delight Reader

Christmas vacation has started for me. I'm off till 4thJan, and foresee myself to enjoy this holiday season. Cold yes but it's alright.
This is the time when kids are the happiest-loads of presents, sweets or candies. A season when the hambug would be scrooging and grudging all about Christmas :-) .
I wish all of you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
Of course it's not complete without a lovely recipes to wake up to on Christmas morning.




Orange Carrot Spice Muffins
Ingredients (make 12)

• 280 gm plain flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp soda bicarbonate
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp each of ground cloves and nutmeg
• 1 egg
• 90-120gm caster sugar
• finely grated zest from one orange
• 180 ml freshly squeezed orange juice (aprox 2 big oranges)
• 150 gm finely grated carrot, soak overnight with 90ml of orange juice from above
  
• 85 gm melted butter or 90ml vegetable oil
• 50 gm raisins/sultanas
  
• 50 gm pecan/walnut finely chopped
• Toppings-100 gm cream cheese, 60gm icing sugar, 1 tsp vanilla. Blend well.
• 
  
  

1. In a mixing bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, bicarbonate soda, salt and spices.
2. In a separate bowl, beat egg with fork till lightly fluffy, stir in sugar, grated orange zest, orange juice, orange soaked carrot and butter/oil.
3. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry mixture, stir to blend well. Add the raisins and pecan nut, lightly mix just to blend. The batter should look thick and lumpy.
4. Preheat oven to 190C.
   
5. Prepare muffin tins. Scoop the batter into the muffin tins. Bake for 20-25minutes. Remove and cool.
6. Once cooled, scoop 1/2 tbsp of topping onto the muffin and spread. You could top with a pecan nut for decoration.