Morning Laurie Muffins

Morning Laurie Muffins

This is a recipe that I have used since 1987.  The "carrot cake like" muffins were sold at a restaurant on Cape Cod, MA and enjoyed by our daughters Mary and Barbara.  I later acquired the recipe through Gourmet magazine.

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Ingredients:

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup chopped pitted dates

4 cups all purpose flour

2 cups sugar

4 teaspoons baking soda

4 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon salt 

4 teaspoons vanilla

4 cups carrots, peeled and grated

2 large green tart apples, cored and grated

1 cup sliced almonds

1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

6 large eggs

1 1/3 cups vegetable oil

1 tablespoon freshly grated orange zest

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Ingredients:

In a small bowl, let the raisins and dates soak in hot water to cover for 30 minutes.  

Into a large bowl, sift the flour, sugar, and baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and the salt.  

Drain the raisins and dates thoroughly and stir them into the flour mixture with the carrots, apples, almonds and the coconut.  

In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, the oil, the vanilla, and the zest; stir the mixture into the flour mixture until the batter is just combined.  

Line 30 1/2 cup muffin tins with muffin papers and divide the batter among them, filling 2/3 full.  

Bake the muffins in the middle of the oven, 350 degrees, for 20 to 20 minutes or until a tester comes out clean.  Cool on racks. Serve at room temp.  

Yield 30 muffins.