Date Nut Carrot Muffins

The flavour of caramel in these muffins ups them from your regular date nut carrot muffins to awesome!

Ingredients:

Caramel syrup:

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup hot water

2 tsps molasses

Batter:

1 cup flour

3/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

pinch salt

1/2 cup chopped dates

1/4 - 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

3/4 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup shredded carrot (1 medium carrot)

Starting with the caramel syrup... in a saucepan, melt the sugar on medium-low to medium heat. At first it doesn't seem like anything will happen. Just keep stirring and as you can see in the pictures below the sugar starts to form lumps then dissolves and turns golden. Once that happens carefully pour hot water into the pot. It will bubble up as seen in the bottom right pic. Stir in the molasses and set aside.

Now for the batter... sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt together. In another bowl mix dates and nuts with 2 tbsp of the flour mix to coat. And in another bowl beat the eggs, sugar, oil and vanilla together. Stream in the caramel syrup while mixing. Add the shredded carrots.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix just until combined, then fold in the dates and nuts.

Ladle into a lined muffin tin. 

Bake at 350°F for 25 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean.

Makes 12 very moist muffins