Carrot cake muffins are a wonderful twist on the classic carrot cake, offering all the delicious flavors in a portable, easy-to-eat form. These muffins are soft, moist, and spiced to perfection, with just the right amount of sweetness. Packed with grated carrots, a hint of cinnamon, and a touch of nutmeg, they make for a satisfying breakfast, snack, or dessert. For an extra indulgent touch, top them with cream cheese frosting or enjoy them as they are for a lighter treat.
To start, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a muffin tin with paper liners. This will help ensure your Carrot cake muffins come out easily and have that perfect muffin shape.
In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and a pinch of salt. These spices will give your muffins that warm, comforting flavor that pairs perfectly with the carrots.
In a separate bowl, mix the wet ingredients: eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vegetable oil. The sugars provide moisture and sweetness, while the oil keeps the muffins tender. Add a teaspoon of vanilla extract to bring a touch of warmth and depth to the flavor. Once combined, fold in the grated carrots. Grating the carrots finely ensures they incorporate well into the batter and keep the muffins moist.
Next, add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, mixing gently until everything is just combined. Be careful not to overmix, as this can lead to dense muffins. If desired, stir in a handful of chopped nuts such as walnuts or pecans, or even some raisins or coconut flakes for added texture and flavor.
Spoon the batter evenly into the muffin liners, filling each about two-thirds full. This will allow the muffins to rise beautifully while baking. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Be careful not to overbake, as the muffins should stay moist and tender inside.
Once the muffins are done, let them cool in the tin for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. While they’re cooling, you can prepare a simple cream cheese frosting to top them. To make the frosting, beat together softened cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth and fluffy. Once the muffins have cooled, pipe or spread the frosting onto the tops of each muffin for an extra decadent touch.
Carrot cake muffins are perfect for any occasion, from brunch to dessert. They combine the best of carrot cake in a convenient, bite-sized form, and their moist texture and flavorful spices will leave you craving more.
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar can use brown sugar for deeper flavor
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil can substitute with melted coconut oil
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 cup all-purpose flour sifted
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1.5 cups grated carrots freshly grated
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a cupcake tray with liners.
- In a large bowl, beat the sugar and oil together, then add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Gradually add this to the wet ingredients, stirring gently until just combined.
- Fold in the grated carrots and walnuts, if using.
- Fill the cupcake liners about two-thirds full with the batter.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Allow to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
Nutrition
They didn’t rise much and were pretty flat. I’m not sure what went wrong. 😕
Had to substitute the walnuts with pecans. Still turned out great!
they came out weird. like too spongy or sth. not the texture I expected. 🙁
Not sure about the baking soda amount—mine had a weird bitter note. I wonder if my cinnamon was old? Idk. Carrots are a nice touch at least.
Made these last weekend—super moist and the cinnamon + carrot combo tastes way more “bakery” than I expected. I used brown sugar and it was perfect.
Horrible! They burned on the bottom. Not everyone has a fancy oven, you know!
I totally get your frustration! Not everyone has the same oven, and it can be tough to bake evenly without one. Did you use the middle rack? That can help!
Ugh, that sucks! Maybe next time try lowering the temp a bit? I mean, ovens can be tricky sometimes. Hope you try again!
5 stars! My kids loved these. They can’t even taste the veggies! Sneaky way to get them to eat healthy.
I don’t see how these can be healthy?? Carrots or not, it’s a muffin!
Cool recipe! I added raisins too, yum!
Raisins in carrot cake muffins? Sounds interesting! I might try that next time. 🍰
Carrot cake muffins are my weakness. I added extra walnuts and a tiny pinch more cinnamon. They smelled amazing while baking.