Carrot-walnut muffins

I made a carrot-walnut cake the other day with the same recipe except that I have made a few changes to it now to reduce the calories. I don't have the pic of the cake but you can use the same recipe for cake as well.

I had never made a carrot cake since the kids don't like it ( well, they never ask for it the way they ask for banana cake or chocolate cake or mud cake). So, I decided to try it. Got the recipe from http://www.chelsea.co.nz/ but after finding the cake too oily, I made some changes to the recipe ( reduced oil and added milk). Here it is:

Ingredients:

3/4 cup self raising flour

3/4 cup wholemeal flour

1 tsp mixed spice

1/2 tsp cinnamon powder

1/2 tsp ginger powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 cup caster sugar

3 large eggs ( I used egg replacer 3 tsp)

1/2 cup sunflower/canola oil

1/2 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla essence

3/4 cups chopped walnuts

2 cups grated carrot

1/2 cup raisins

2 tbsp dessicated coconut

Method:

Preheat the oven to 180degC. Sift flour, spices and baking soda into a large mixing bowl. Add al lthe remaining ingredients and stir wit ha wooden spoon or fork until just combines. Don't beat.

Line a 20-30cm cake tin ( 6cm deep) with baking paper and grease well. Pour cake mixture in the prepared tin and smooth the surface. Bake for one and half hours. The cake is cooked when a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Cool it on a rack.

For the muffins, cook at 180degC for 18 minutes.

Banana and choc chip muffins

I make these atleast once a fortnigh or sometimes even once a week as they are great for morning tea time in 2B's lunch boxes.

I got this recipe from recipezaar I think, not sure, but did my own few variations and they come out perfect.

Will need:

2 eggs ( since we dont even eat eggs, I use Organ's 'no eggs, egg replacer' )

2 ripe bananas

1/4 cup oil

1 cup low fat milk

3/4 cup soft brown sugar

1 cup standard flour+1 and half cup whole wheat flour

4 tsp Baking powder

1/2 cup choc chips

Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Mix liquids, then mashed bananas ( I use fork to mash bananas) and sugar lightly. then add flour, baking powder and choc chips. Don't over mix. bake in the oven for 15-18mins. Cool for 2 mins and take out. Goes well with cup of coffee too :-)