Makes 15 muffins

INGREDIENTS:
FOR THE FIRST FILLING:
170g/6oz grated carrot
50g/1¾oz toasted & chopped pecans
50g/1¾oz sultanas
40g/1½oz sweetened desiccated coconut

FOR THE BATTER:
300g/10½oz plain flour
1tbsp baking powder
170g/6oz light muscovado sugar
1/8 tsp salt (surely that’s just a pinch??)
1tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground nutmeg (50 scrapes)
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1/8 tsp ground allspice
2 eggs
185g/6½oz milk
100g/3 ½ oz oil
1tsp vanilla essence

FOR THE SECOND FILLING:
135g/4½oz full fat cream cheese
15g/½oz icing sugar

FOR THE TOPPING:
20g/¾oz demerara sugar
30g/1oz sweetened desiccated coconut
70g/2½oz toasted & chopped pecans

METHOD:
1. Preheat oven to 180C/350F/gas 4. Grease & Flour 15 sections of muffin tin or line with paper liners.
2. Prepare the first filling. Grate the carrots and place them in a medium bowl. Add in the pecans, sultanas and coconut and mix well. Set aside.
3. In another bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and allspice. Push the muscovado through the sieve with a spoon. Set aside.
4. In a jug, beat the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla together with a fork.
5. Add the egg mixture (4) to the flour mixture (3), folding together with a metal spoon, until barely combined. Then add the filling (2) ingredients.
6. In another bowl, work together the cream cheese and the icing sugar, mashing and stirring until thoroughly mixed.
7. Spoon in just enough batter (5) to cover the bottom section of each muffin section, then add half a tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture (6) to the centre, then top with the remaining batter (5).
8. In another bowl, mix the coconut & demerara sugar together. Sprinkle the chopped pecans over the top of the muffins, then add an even topping of the coconut & demerara sugar.
9. Bake for 23 – 25 minutes until well risen and the tops spring back when gently pressed.
10. Transfer to a wire rack, and cool for ten minutes before you eat them.