Carrot and Orange Muffins for a Sunny Day

It's been rather glorious weather here in Norwich and even when it's hot, I feel like baking. There's something so incredibly relaxing about whipping up some easy with the kitchen door flung open, the scent of the roses in the garden breezing through the house and Billie Holiday on the stereo. It makes life slow down a little (anyone else astonished that the longest day has already been and gone??). However, I never want to bake anything too difficult when it's hot; that just sucks the fun out of it and when it's hot I can't bear anything too sweet, which is why the idea of carrot and orange muffins appealed.

Muffins are a baker's dream of ease. Throw the dry ingredients in the bowl, add the wet and then you don't even have to make sure it's mixed properly as muffins are much better when the batter is lumpy. These carrot and orange muffins look and smell like a little bit of summer in a paper case. Eat warm straight from the oven and once they go cold, gently break in half and dab a little bit of butter on each half - heaven.

Carrot and Orange Muffins

Makes 12

75g butter, melted

Juice and zest of 2 oranges

1 egg

100g carrots, peeled and grated

300g plain flour

2 tsp baking powder

100g caster sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Heat the oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper muffin cases. Mix the dry ingredients together in a large bowl with a pinch of salt. Whisk together the wet ingredients with the carrots then stir this into the dry ingredients, but don't overmix.

Spoon into the paper cases and then bake for 20-25 minutes until risen and golden.