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A baked carrot cake muffin with a bite taken to reveal a cream cheese center.

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5 from 2 reviews

Cream Cheese Carrot Cake Muffins

Recipe by Kelli Avila

These perfectly spiced Carrot Cake Muffins are studded with shredded carrots, raisins, and coconut and are stuffed with a sweet cream cheese filling. This muffin recipe uses Greek yogurt and light olive oil for added healthy fats (which also make the muffins perfectly moist) and is sweetened with maple syrup to make them much more acceptable to serve at breakfast. In addition, they have a nice level of warm spices plus a little orange zest to round out the flavor. The muffin add-ins are carrots (of course), plumped raisins (see more on that below) and shredded coconut, but you can also swap in your favorite carrot cake additions.

  • Total Time35 minutes
  • Yield12 Muffins 1x

Ingredients

Units Scale

For Cream Cheese Filling:

  • 1/2 cup (113 grams) cream cheese, softened
  • 1/2 cup (70 grams) powdered sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

For Carrot Cake Muffins:

  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup (113 grams) plain full-fat Greek yogurt
  • 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
  • 1/4 cup light olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon orange zest
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1-3/4 cups (210 grams) all-purpose flour
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 cup shredded carrots (see note)
  • 1/2 cup plumped raisins (see note)
  • 1/4 cup finely shredded unsweetened coconut

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF and place an oven rack in the middle part of the oven. Line a 12 cup muffin tin with parchment paper liners.
  2. In a medium bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla and mash the mixture with a sturdy spoon. Once the sugar has been combined with the cream cheese, switch over to a whisk and whisk vigorously until the mixture is smooth. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, Greek yogurt, maple syrup, olive oil, orange zest, baking powder, and vanilla. Whisk until well combined.
  4. Add in the flour, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg and mix until barely combined.
  5. Fold in the shredded carrots, plumped raisins and coconut.
  6. Place two heaping tablespoons of batter in each muffin cup (or one scoop with a size 30 portion scoop). Use a spoon to spread the batter flat (it does not need to be perfect). Then, add 1 heaping tablespoon of the cream cheese filling to each muffin cup and use the spoon to spread it into an even layer. Add another 2 heaping tablespoons of muffin batter on top, spreading it out to cover the frosting. Repeat the process for the remaining batter. Bang the muffin tin on a hard surface once or twice to help the muffin batter settle.
  7. Bake in the preheated oven until the muffin tops are matte in appearance and firm to the touch, 18 to 20 minutes.
  8. Let the muffins cool slightly before serving.

Notes

Some people like finely-grated carrots in their carrot cake, and some prefer them more coarse. Feel free to shred them to your liking.

Rehydrating raisins before adding them to the muffin batter will result in a better muffin. You're met with a moist and soft raisin instead of a hard and dry one when you bite into it. To plump the raisins, place them in a heatproof bowl and cover them with very hot or boiling water. They'll be plumped within minutes. Drain the raisins when ready to add to the batter.

Weighing your flour is the most accurate way to measure. If you aren't going to weigh it, make sure to spoon it into the measuring cup, then level it off. If you scoop the flour out with the measuring cup and then level, it could change the outcome of the final product.

Originally published in 2022, this recipe has been regularly re-tested and updated as needed to ensure it remains perfect.

Find it online: https://everydayfamilyeats.com/carrot-cake-muffins/