Remember my last post? The one where I wax poetic about the joy of inherently understanding ingredient pairings and the best ways to use each piece of produce? I firmly believe that gift takes years of practice, toiling away in sweaty kitchens. I do not yet possess such experience. And to be completely honest, this recipe could have ended up in the trash…really, I had no clue where I was going. I was hazy from early June allergies and congestion, sorting through the pantry, freezer, and fridge to gather up odds and ends to bake.
Which would explain why I found myself combining carrot, dried cranberry, ginger, and…prunes? Just hear me out! Each ingredient brings moistness to the bread and doesn’t overwhelm the others. Balance. Oh, and added fiber? Really now, who’s complaining?
I split the batter to make a smaller loaf and 6 mini muffins, but it would make one large loaf or a larger batch of muffins. You can easily sub butter and cow’s milk for the coconut oil and almond milk. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
2 eggs
1 and 1/4 cups of flour
1/3 cup of white sugar
1/3 cup of coconut oil
1 cup of shredded carrots
1/4 cup of dried cranberries
2 tablespoons of chopped prunes
2 teaspoons of diced or shredded ginger
1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon of baking powder
2/3 cup of almond milk
Directions:
Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine sugar, eggs, oil, almond milk, and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl. Using an electric whisk or a hand whisk, beat until the mixture is fully combined and the consistency of an egg cream.
In a separate bowl, combine the salt, cinnamon, baking powder, and flour. Whisk or stir until the ingredients have fully mixed.
Using a food processor, chop your carrot, ginger, prune, and cranberries.
Slowly pour the wet mixture into the flour bowl, stirring constantly to combine. The batter should be pour-able; if you need more liquid, add a few more drops of almond milk. Fold in the dried fruit, carrots, and ginger evenly throughout the batter.
Spray a loaf pan or muffin tin with Pam or use coconut oil to grease the edges. Pour in batter evenly and bake in the oven for 25 minutes or until you can remove a toothpick cleanly. Allow to cool.
Optional: Use a 4 tablespoons of powdered confectioners’ sugar and a couple teaspoons of coconut oil to whisk up a glaze. When the bread or muffins have cooled, drizzle on top for added sweetness.
