Carrot cake muffins

 Perfect on the go breakfast or a healthy snack, kids will never know this is a healthy alternative to a decadent carrot cake.

Makes 24 muffins

Ingredients:
3/4 cup applesauce
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2/3 cup plus 1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups AP flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons honey
2 cups carrot, grated
1 cup low-fat milk
1 cup chopped pecan or walnuts, almonds etc
1 cup golden raisins or regular raisins
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup shredded sweetened coconut flakes

Glaze:
1 cup confectioners sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
hot water as needed
24 pecan halves, for garnish

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 and line a muffin tin with baking cups.

1. In a medium-sized bowl, stir applesauce and baking powder together and set aside. In a large bowl mix, flour, cinnamon, sugar, baking soda, nutmeg and salt with a wooden spoon and set aside. Add carrots, honey and milk, vanilla, pecans, raisins, coconut to the applesauce mixture.

2. Mix the applesauce mixture into the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon until flour is dissolved and all ingredients are well incorporated. Scoop batter into muffin baking cups using a 1/3 cup measuring cup.
Bake on the middle rack for 20-25 minutes or once a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

3. Remove muffin cups from the muffin tin and let cool on a wire rack until cooled.
 
4. Meanwhile, whisk vanilla extract and confectioners sugar together adding 1 teaspoon of hot water at a time until glaze has reached desired consistency.

5. Spoon a small amount of glaze over each muffin and top with a pecan half. The glaze with harden over time.
Eat for breakfast, snacks etc. Freeze and move to freezer bags and store in freezer for up to 3 months. Just thaw them out on the counter and enjoy!