Recipe by Nessa Robins

Ingredients

125g plain flour

100g wholemeal flour

25g wheatgerm

1 tsp baking powder

2 tsps ground mixed spice

250g light muscovado sugar

200g grated carrot

175g prunes, finely chopped

4 free range eggs, lightly beaten

200ml sunflower or rapeseed oil

For the icing:

150g cream cheese

50g butter, softened

1 tsp vanilla extract

300g icing sugar (sieved)

To decorate:

50g hazelnuts, finely chopped

Edible flowers (optional)

  • Preheat the oven to 200°C/Fan 180°C/Gas 6.

  • Sieve the flours, wheatgerm, baking powder, mixed spice and sugar in a bowl.

  • Add the carrots and prunes. Stir well with a wooden spoon until they are thoroughly combined with the dry ingredients. If the chopped prunes are in clumps, disperse through the dry ingredients using your hands.

  • Add the lightly-beaten eggs to a jug with the oil. Pour the eggs and oil into the bowl and stir well until all the ingredients are combined together.

  • Divide the mixture between 15 cases.

  • Bake the muffins for 25 minutes in a preheated oven until risen and golden.

  • Remove from the oven and leave to cool on a wire tray.

  • Meanwhile, make the creamy topping. Put the cream cheese, butter, vanilla extract and icing sugar into a bowl and beat until smooth and creamy. Place the icing in the fridge for 15 minutes to harden slightly.

  • When the muffins have completely cooled, either pipe the icing on each using a piping bag, or spread over and smooth using a palette knife.

  • Decorate with a generous sprinkling of chopped hazelnuts and, if you have any, a pretty edible flower.