There's a lot of talk at the moment about how February is actually the start of the year and January is just a trial month - so happy new year guys! In spirit of the 'new year' one of my friends and I went for a run along the beach front this morning; a very windy run that felt like we were being pushed backwards as we tried to run forwards, next time I think we'll go the other way along the beach! We did also get a bit of a work out in though and there's plenty of time to build up our fitness again, the most important thing was that we got out and did some exercise, the beach was so beautiful too, it really made me feel alive this morning!
I came back from my run this morning, had breakfast, and then made these muffins using a leftover parsnip from my veg box, I completely winged the recipe, using the ingredients I had on hand - fortunately my job at a vegan café has taught me a little something about the science of vegan baking and the recipe was very successful! My parsnip once grated equated to 2 cups tightly packed, so I made more muffins than originally intended and this recipe makes about 21 cupcake sized muffins, though cupcake sized these are definitely muffins, they're a bit heartier than cupcakes, whilst still being beautifully fluffy inside, perfect as breakfast or a mid-morning snack. The parsnip in this recipe brings a unique sweetness to the muffins that compliments the earthy taste of the maple syrup; whilst not overly sweet, these muffins are really delicious and a great alternative to carrot cake!
Parsnip & Maple Muffins | Yield: 21 | Time: 30 mins
You'll need
- 2 cupcake trays
- Cupcake cases
- Two mixing bowls, one large, one medium
- Spoon
- Vegetable peeler
- Grater
- Measuring cups & spoons
- Pastry brush
- Cooling rack
Ingredients
- 2 cups grated parsnip (2 medium parsnips)
- 2 cups plain flour
- 1/2 cup rolled oats + 1 tbsp
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1.5 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 cup vegan butter
- 1/2 cup maple syrup + 1 tbsp
- 1 cup non-dairy milk
- 1.5 tbsp lemon juice (1/2 lemon)
Method
- Pre-heat the oven to 180°C and line two cupcake trays with 21 cases
- Peel and grate the parsnip and place in the large bowl, add the rest of the dry ingredients to the bowl, putting aside 1 tbsp of oats for later and stir to combine.
- Measure out 1/2 cup vegan butter and melt, either in a pan or using the microwave, add 1/2 cup maple syrup, 1 cup milk and 1.5 tbsp lemon juice, mix together and pour into the dry ingredients, stir until just combined, do not over-mix the batter! Then spoon the mixture into the cupcake cases, until 2/3rds full, sprinkle the remaining oats over the cakes and bake for 15-17 minutes.
- When baked, brush a small amount of maple syrup over the top of each cake and place on a cooling rack. Once cooled slightly, enjoy with a cup of tea or coffee!
Cassidy xx
