Halloween Carrot Muffins Recipe

Ingredients:

7oz soft light brown sugar
7floz sunflower oil
2 medium eggs
7oz plain flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2tsp bicarbonate of soda
Pinch of salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
7oz carrots, peeled and grated
2oz walnut pieces, chopped
1 tsp vanilla essence

For the icing:

225g/ icing sugar, sifted
25g/1oz unsalted butter
75g/3oz chilled full fat cream cheese
Food coloring and writing icing

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 170ºC for a fan oven or 150ºC/325ºF/gas mark 3. Line a deep 12-hole muffin tin with paper cases.
   2. Place the sugar, oil and eggs in a large bowl, then beat together with a wooden spoon until the mixture is smooth and thickened. Sift over the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt and cinnamon then fold in until well mixed. Fold in the carrots, walnuts and vanilla essence.
   3. Divide the mixture between the paper cake cases. Bake in the middle of the oven for 25 minutes or until golden, risen and the middle bounces back when lightly pressed. Leave to cool in the tin for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
   4. For the icing: Use an electric whisk to beat the icing sugar and butter together in a large bowl until fluffy. Add the cream cheese and briefly beat together again until just combined. Don’t overbeat or it will become runny. Spread the icing over the muffins, then let the kids go mad icing the cakes with spooky characters.