ABC Muffins (Apple, Banana, Carrot Muffins)

This put up might include affiliate hyperlinks. Please see my full disclosure for particulars.

Hello Daring Bakers!

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE: My healthful ABC Muffins (Apple, Banana, Carrot Muffins) are merely scrumptious, nutritious, and a candy and straightforward baking mission for the entire household. Good for infants, toddlers, youngsters, adults—everybody! 

• Naturally candy: These muffins are purely sweetened by bananas, apples, and carrots.
• Simple and no machine wanted: It is a fast and simple recipe.
• Full of vitamins and fiber: You get a wholesome serving of fruit and greens in every muffin.
• Splendidly moist: The feel makes them comfortable and straightforward for little ones to eat.
• Prepared in underneath an hour! There’s nothing like muffins heat from the oven, and with this recipe, you don’t have to attend lengthy.

Because the mum of a 5-year-old, I used to be thrilled after I found ABC Muffins. I like baking with George (and he loves it too!), and this recipe is ideal for getting youngsters concerned. Allow them to deal with the peeling and mashing—these are enjoyable, hands-on duties little ones love and might take their time with. One other tip: make these as mini muffins for a really perfect lunchbox snack. Simply keep in mind to cut back the bake time to about 8 to 10 minutes. And when you freeze them, a couple of seconds within the microwave will soften and refresh them fantastically.

Baking is the proper all-ages exercise—having enjoyable within the kitchen with youngsters or grandkids brings studying, hands-on expertise, and scrumptious meals collectively into one rewarding exercise. And it’s even simpler when you begin with child-friendly recipes like my Good Pancakes, Do-it-yourself Ice Cream, 3-Ingredient Banana Oat Cookies, and Simple Pizza Cupcakes.

Desk of Contents

What are ABC Muffins (Apple, Banana, Carrot Muffins)?

• ABC Muffins (Apple, Banana, Carrot Muffins) are naturally sweetened baked treats:
  • Taste: Subtly fruity candy with cinnamon notes
  • Principal components:  Complete wheat flour, oats, apple, bananas, carrots
  • Texture: Smooth and moist
  • Added advantages: Made with out added sugar, fiber-filled, a superb supply of vitamins, together with protein, calcium, iron, potassium, Nutritional vitamins A and C
  • Nice for: Child-led weaning, snacks, lunchbox treats, breakfast, and tea time
• Baked items made with grated or pureed fruit and greens have at all times been round, in fact. Nonetheless, there was a resurgence in clear, naturally sweetened recipes, resembling ABC Muffins, due to the recognition of baby-led weaning, which inspires giving infants who’re prepared for solids items of sentimental, wholesome meals as an alternative of spoon-feeding purees.

Key Substances and Substitutes

Egg

• Egg emulsifies the components to provide you a cohesive muffin batter.
• Egg additionally provides wealthy taste and moisture.
• Substitute: As an alternative of an egg, you should utilize a flax egg or half a mashed banana.

Banana

• Mashed banana provides sweetness and a fruity, creamy style. Make sure you use a ripe banana for the very best flavour.
• Importantly, mashed bananas give the muffins heft and assist bind the components collectively, giving the muffins construction.
• Moreover, banana provides moisture to the muffins.
• Substitute: Use 1/4 cup (2 oz/60 g) of applesauce or pumpkin puree as an alternative of the banana.

Complete milk

• Complete milk provides moisture and richness.
• Substitute: As an alternative of complete milk, use an equal quantity of unsweetened plant milk, like almond milk or oat milk.

Apple

• Apple offers these muffins a pure, delicate sweetness.
• For the very best taste and texture, I exploit Granny Smith apples.
• Moreover, the apple makes the muffins completely moist and provides texture.
• Substitute: Use unsweetened applesauce and make these applesauce carrot muffins!
  • Since applesauce has extra moisture, when you use it, I counsel utilizing barely much less milk. Maintain again 2 tablespoons of the milk, after which add it if the batter appears dry.

Carrot

• The shredded carrot offers the abc muffins vitamins and pure sweetness.
• As well as, the carrot provides texture and fiber.
• Substitute: Use shredded zucchini (squeeze out the additional water earlier than utilizing) for all or half of the shredded carrot.

Butter

• Melted butter provides moisture, contributing to a comfortable crumb.
• Moreover, butter offers the muffins a wealthy taste.
• Substitute: Use an equal quantity of coconut oil.

Vanilla extract

• Vanilla extract deepens the flavors.
• Substitute: As an alternative of vanilla extract, use an equal quantity of Vanilla Bean Paste.

Complete wheat flour

• Utilizing complete wheat flour offers these fruit and veggie muffins a beautiful heartiness and a barely nutty taste.
• Moreover, complete wheat flour provides vitamins and fiber.
• Substitute: You should utilize an equal quantity of all-purpose flour rather than the entire wheat flour.

Rolled oats

• Utilizing rolled oats in muffin recipes provides texture and a pleasing chewiness to those muffins.
• Use old style oats right here (don’t use fast oats or steel-cut oats).

Cinnamon

• Cinnamon provides heat, delicate spiciness.
• Moreover, cinnamon provides a pleasant, homey aroma.
• Substitute: You’ll be able to substitute Blended Spice, pumpkin spice, or cardamom for the cinnamon.

Baking powder

• Baking powder is a chemical leavener that’s double-acting, that means it creates carbon bubbles when combined with liquid, after which once more when heated within the oven.

Baking soda

Salt

• Salt enhances the flavour of the applesauce carrot muffins and balances out the sweetness.

Tips on how to Make ABC Muffins

1. Put together to bake: Preheat the oven to 375°F (180°C) and fill a 12-cup muffin pan with 9 paper liners. Put aside.
2. Mix moist components: In a medium bowl, mix the egg, bananas, milk, apples, carrots, butter and vanilla extract.

3. Combine dry components: In a separate medium bowl, mix the flour, oats, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

4. Mix moist and dry components: Combine the moist and dry components collectively till simply mixed, then divide equally among the many ready muffin cups (they are going to be stuffed to the highest).

5. Bake: Bake for 25-Half-hour or till a cake tester inserted into the middle comes out clear.

6. Cool and serve: Let cool for 10 minutes within the pan, then switch to a wire rack to chill absolutely.

FULL (PRINTABLE) RECIPE BELOW!

Gemma’s Professional Chef Ideas

• Extra sweetness: These muffins don’t have any sweetener. When you would like a sweeter muffin, you’ll be able to add 3 tablespoons of sugar or honey.
• Smaller muffins: These muffins rise properly out of their papers. When you choose smaller muffins for smaller appetites, you’ll be able to divide the batter amongst 12 muffin cups as an alternative of 9.
• Nice grating: Make sure that to finely grate the fruit and veg in order that, as soon as baked, they mix proper in and also you received’t have a lumpy texture. For finest outcomes, use a field grater.
• Banana know-how: Make sure that to make use of ripe bananas, even overripe ones, like these used for banana bread, as a result of the riper they’re, the sweeter they’re.
• Final moisture: Making muffins with fruit and veg usually retains them from being dry. However to maintain your muffins as moist as attainable, take care to not overmix the batter. Cease when the dry components are simply integrated.
• Apple decide: I wish to use Granny Smith apples for his or her sweet-tart taste, they usually work rather well as a result of they virtually disappear into the batter.

Make Forward and Storage Directions

• Make-ahead ideas:
  • The batter ought to be baked as quickly because it’s combined, however you can also make the prep time faster by measuring and mixing the dry components forward of time. Retailer in an hermetic container on the counter for as much as three days. On baking day, mix with the moist components.
  • You’ll be able to freeze baked and cooled apple carrot muffins on a tray, after which wrap individually and place in a freezer bag or a freezer-safe container, and freeze for as much as two months.
  • Defrost the muffins at room temperature or for about 30 seconds within the microwave.
• Tips on how to retailer leftovers:
  • Retailer at room temperature in an hermetic container for as much as two days.
  • For extra prolonged storage, place in a freezer bag or freezer-safe container, and freeze for as much as two months.

FAQs

Can I make these apple banana muffins gluten-free?

• Sure, you can also make these apple banana muffins gluten-free.
• As an alternative of the entire wheat flour, use an equal quantity of gluten-free baking combine. You should utilize my Simple Almond Flour Baking Combine Recipe, a store-bought measure-for-measure gluten free combine, or one other gluten-free flour.
• Confirm that your different components are licensed gluten-free.

Is it attainable to make these fruit muffins with out an egg?

• Sure, it’s attainable to make these fruit muffins with out an egg.
  • As an alternative of an egg, use 1/4 cup (2 oz/57 g) of yogurt.
  • You can even use 1/4 cup (2 oz/60 g) of applesauce or half of a mashed banana.
  • One other risk is a flaxseed egg. Combine one tablespoon of floor flaxseed plus three tablespoons of water, and put aside for 5 minutes earlier than including to the cake batter.
  • Try my information, 12 Finest Egg Substitutes for Baking Recipes and Tips on how to Use Them, for extra solutions and data.

What mix-ins can I add to those muffins?

• Stir in chopped, toasted pecans or walnuts.
• Combine in raisins, dried cranberries, or chopped dates.
• Add sunflower or pumpkin seeds.

What are some good methods to serve ABC Muffins?

Extra Muffin Recipes