Carrot Cake Muffins - Gluten Free & Vegan

I've decided that carrot cake is evil - I can eat so much of it without batting an eyelid... it's incredibly deadly for me. I'm unsure why I love it so - it maybe the moistness of the cake, the fruitiness, the nuttiness, the high sugar and fat content, or simply the cream cheese frosting that adorns them. Lucky enough, I've limited my dairy intake (due to allergies), so any piece of carrot cake that calls me when I'm in PCC will have to sit on the hips and thighs of someone else.

These deliciously moist carrot cake muffins are a little different. They don't need any cream cheese frosting. They are packed with grated carrot, succulent raisins, crunchy walnuts and nutty coconut. They are also freezer-friendly, gluten-free, vegan, packed full of fiber, alternatively sweetened with agave nectar and just as good as the non-vegan variety.

CARROT CAKE MUFFINS - GLUTEN FREE & VEGAN
Makes 19-20 muffins
Adapted from “Flying Apron’s Gluten-Free & Vegan Baking Book”, by Jennifer Katzinger

Ingredients
180 g (1 c) brown rice flour
90 g (½ c and 2 tablespoons) chickpea (garbanzo) flour
¾ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
85 g (½ c and 2 tablespoons) grated carrots (about 2 ½ medium carrots)
100 g (1 ¼ c) unsweetened desiccated (shredded) coconut
115 g (1 c) roughly chopped walnuts, reserve about 2 tablespoons for topping, if desired
75 g (½ c) sultanas (raisins)
4 tablespoons olive oil*
4 tablespoons apple sauce*
240 ml (1 c) water
½ tablespoon vanilla extract
240 ml (1 c) agave nectar

* If you don’t have apple sauce at hand, simply use a total of 8 tablespoons (120 ml or ½ c) oil.

Method
1. Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F).

2. Line or grease enough muffin tins (pans) to make 19-20 muffins.

3. In one bowl, mix together the brown rice flour, chickpea (garbanzo) flour, bicarbonate of soda (baking soda), salt, cinnamon, carrots, coconut, walnuts and raisins.

4. In another bowl, mix together oil, apple sauce, water, vanilla extract and agave nectar.

5. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and gently fold until evenly incorporated.

6. Divide the mixture into the prepared tins (pans) and top with reserved walnuts, if using.

7. Bake in the middle of the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until browned on top and firm to the touch, or when a skewer inserted into the muffin comes out clean. Allow to cool slightly before devouring. Enjoy!