Cream Cheese Filled Carrot Muffins

I used to have a great recipe for carrot cake - low in sugar, low in fat (1/4 c oil), great in taste. I remember it had maple syrup, pineapple, raisins, carrots and applesauce. But I haven't been able to find it again. So today I made a batch of carrot muffins using a similar recipe. It was a disaster. This is the first time I've ever put fresh baked muffins straight into the garbage bin.

So onto the second recipe...which came out decent. Though I think it still needs some improving.

• 2 c flour
• 3/4 c sugar
• 3/4 t baking soda
• 1.5 t baking powder
• 1.5 t cinnamon
• 1/2 t salt
• 1 c shredded coconut (unsweetened)
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 c oil
• 1.5 t vanilla extract
• 2 c grated carrot
• 1 grated apple
• optional: 1/2 c nuts, 1/2 c raisins
  

Filling

• 4 oz cream cheese (half package of Philadelphia), softened
  
• 1/4 c sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• 1/2 t vanilla extract

1. In a large bowl, mix the first 6 dry ingredients thoroughly. Stir in the coconut.
2. In a medium bowl, beat the eggs, oil, and vanilla together.
3. Gently stir the wet ingredients (including apple and carrots) and optional ingredients into the flour mixture. Do not overmix!
4. In a separate bowl, mix filling ingredients.
   
5. Preheat oven to 200C. Line muffin tin with paper liners.
   
6. Fill cups 1/3 full of batter. Add dollop of filling. Cover with batter.
7. Bake for 25 minutes or until done.
8. Makes 18 muffins.

Variations

• The filling is a variation, which can easily be left out to make regular muffins.
• Add other spices like nutmeg, ginger, cloves, etc.
• Add jam with or to the filling.
• Most muffin recipes call for 180C/350F, but I find that my mini oven is a little weak and things do better at a higher temperature and higher rack. If you have a traditional oven, try 180C and adjust from there.
  

Notes
I'd like to see the oil content further reduced...perhaps by adding applesauce or more grated apple. I like a chunky muffin, so maybe next time cubing the apple instead of grating. Also less sugar, perhaps replaced with honey/maple syrup or the natural sugars in a pineapple addition. Next time I'd like to add raisins and nuts. Ran out so couldn't this time.



Morning Glory Muffins
This is basically the Carrot Muffin recipe all over again but with some slight changes.

Instead of 3/4 c oil, I used 1/2 cup of melted butter and 1/4 c apple-pearsauce.
I chopped 1/2 the apple, and grated the rest.
I added 1/2 c raisins.
I used 1 c of sugar.
I added nutmeg and ginger.
Baked at 190C for 30 minutes.

This was a big improvement. Next time? Perhaps more apple chunks, less sugar, and add walnuts or maybe pine nuts or almonds. Throw a banana in there, too?