Years ago a friend gave me her recipe for the best muffins I thought I’d ever had. Kept safely, was the recipe written on an old-world recipe card, encased in a little clear sleeve (we used those so as not to splash ingredients on the card!). I can still picture it in my mind’s eye.
A couple weeks ago, I suddenly began craving those muffins, filled with one of everything I had at home (zucchini, carrots, apple, walnuts), for which I was delighted. Grocery shopping at this moment is not nearly as fun as it once was, at least for me. My sisters and friends said they were doing a lot more baking, and I wanted to play too. Right away.
The recipe was nowhere to be found, to my chagrin, but I excavated an even older recipe (encased in its protective sleeve) for Zucchini Muffins. I used it to cleverly divine a brand new version of my once-cherished muffins for which I had (disrespectfully) lost the recipe.
These taste like the best zucchini bread, carrot cake, and spiced apple muffins all just melded together for the greater good. They’re delicious spread with cream cheese, nut butter, or butter but really, they need none of the above. They’re irresistible just on their own, I dare you to eat just one at a time!
Zucchini-Carrot-Apple Muffins
1 ½ cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
Sift first 5 ingredients together in medium bowl. Stir in grated nutmeg. Set aside.
2 eggs
1 ¼ cup sugar
¾ cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup grated zucchini, drained well (squeeze moisture out with paper towel)
1 cup grated carrot
1 cup finely diced apple
½ cup chopped walnuts or other nuts (optional)
Whisk eggs and sugar until mixture is thick and creamy. Add oil and vanilla, whisking well. Stir in reserved dry ingredients, blend well. Finally add remainder of ingredients, stir only to combine well, do not overmix.
Preheat oven to 350F.
Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners or coat muffin cups with baking spray.
Gently spoon muffin batter equally into each cup. Bake for about 33 minutes, until browned on top and tester inserted comes out clean.
Let cool for at least a few minutes before enjoying!
Yields 12 muffins, recipe is easily doubled in direct proportion.
