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Moist Carrot Cake Muffins with Creamy Cheese Center

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These moist carrot cake muffins feature a warm blend of spices and a luscious creamy cheese center, perfect for any occasion and easy to make in under 40 minutes.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ½ cups (180g) all-purpose flour (or almond flour for gluten-free)
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ⅓ cup (75g) granulated sugar
  • ⅓ cup (75g) packed light brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • ⅓ cup (80ml) vegetable oil (or melted coconut oil)
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 ½ cups (150g) grated carrots (about 3 medium carrots)
  • ½ cup (50g) chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
  • 4 ounces (113g) cream cheese, softened
  • 2 tablespoons (25g) powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease well with non-stick spray.
  2. In a small bowl, beat together softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy. Set aside.
  3. Peel and grate carrots using a fine grater.
  4. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
  5. In another bowl, beat granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract until smooth and slightly thickened.
  6. Slowly add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients, stirring gently until just combined.
  7. Fold in grated carrots and chopped nuts if using.
  8. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of carrot batter into each muffin cup, add about 1 teaspoon of cream cheese filling in the center, then top with more carrot batter to cover the cream cheese, filling each cup roughly ¾ full.
  9. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the edge comes out clean and tops are golden.
  10. Let muffins cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

Do not overmix the batter to keep muffins tender. Use softened but not melting cream cheese for the filling. Fresh grated carrots provide the best texture and sweetness. Check doneness by inserting a toothpick near the edge, avoiding the cream cheese center. Muffin liners help with cleanup and prevent sticking but can be skipped if the tin is well greased.

Nutrition

Keywords: carrot cake muffins, cream cheese center, moist muffins, easy carrot cake, cinnamon nutmeg muffins, gluten-free option, vegan option

Find it online: https://atomicbite.com/moist-carrot-cake-muffins-with-creamy-cheese-center-easy-recipe/