Description
Bake moist, spiced carrot cake muffins topped with a bright, tangy cream cheese glaze. This recipe yields bakery-style individual portions perfect for breakfast or dessert.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups grated carrots (about 3 medium carrots)
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon milk (if needed for consistency)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease well.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract until well combined.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined; do not overmix.
- Fold in the grated carrots and nuts, if using.
- Divide the batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds full.
- Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- While the muffins cool, prepare the glaze: In a medium bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and butter together until smooth.
- Gradually beat in the sifted powdered sugar until incorporated.
- Add the lemon juice and mix until the glaze is smooth and tangy. If the glaze is too thick, add milk one teaspoon at a time until you reach a thick, drizzly consistency.
- Once the muffins are completely cool, drizzle or spread the tangy cream cheese glaze over the tops. Allow the glaze to set before serving.
Notes
- For extra moist carrot cake muffins, do not squeeze the moisture from the grated carrots; include all the liquid.
- To achieve a bakery-style dome, fill the muffin cups slightly more than two-thirds full and bake at 400 degrees F for the first 5 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 375 degrees F for the remaining bake time.
- Use fresh lemon juice for the best tangy flavor in the glaze.
- You can substitute sour cream for the milk in the glaze for an even tangier result.
- Prep Time: 20 min
- Cook Time: 22 min
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 muffin
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 35
- Sodium: 250
- Fat: 18
- Saturated Fat: 5
- Unsaturated Fat: 13
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 45
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 4
- Cholesterol: 45