Description
Delightful Carrot Cake Muffins filled with a luscious cream cheese center and topped with a smooth cream cheese glaze. These moist, spiced muffins combine the warmth of cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger with the sweetness of grated carrots and a rich, creamy filling, perfect for breakfast or dessert.
Ingredients
Topping
- ¼ cup light brown sugar (60g)
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- ½ cup + 2 tbsp all-purpose flour (75g)
- ⅕ tsp ground cinnamon
- pinch of salt
- ¼ cup unsalted butter (56g)
Cheesecake Batter
- 8 oz full-fat cream cheese, softened (226g)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar (50g)
- ⅓ cup sour cream (80g)
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
Muffin Batter
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour (300g)
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- ¾ tsp baking soda
- 1½ tsp cinnamon
- ⅜ tsp nutmeg
- ⅜ tsp ginger
- ¾ tsp fine salt
- ¾ cup neutral oil or melted coconut oil (180 ml)
- ¾ cup brown sugar (150g)
- ⅜ cup granulated sugar (75g / 6 tbsp)
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- ¾ cup sour cream or Greek yogurt (180g)
- 1½ tsp vanilla extract
- 1½ cups finely grated carrots, lightly packed (150g)
Glaze
- 3 tbsp cream cheese, at room temperature (42g)
- ½ tbsp unsalted butter (7g)
- 3-4 tbsp powdered sugar (31g)
- 1-3 tbsp milk
Instructions
- Prepare and Preheat: Line your muffin pan with liners and preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Decide whether to make jumbo muffins (6) or regular size (12-14).
- Make the Crumble Topping: In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, granulated sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Add softened butter and rub into the dry ingredients using fingers or fork until sandy clumps form. Set aside or refrigerate.
- Make Cheesecake Batter: Beat cream cheese in a medium bowl for 1 minute until smooth. Add sugar and sour cream, continue beating until creamy. Mix in the egg and vanilla extract until just combined, then set aside.
- Mix Dry Muffin Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt.
- Mix Wet Muffin Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk oil, brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs, sour cream, and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Combine Muffin Batter: Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients, then fold in finely grated carrots gently until just combined. Add nuts if desired now.
- Assemble Muffins: Spoon carrot cake batter into each muffin liner halfway. Add a dollop of cheesecake batter in the center, then cover with more carrot cake batter until about ⅔ full.
- Bake: Bake for 18–22 minutes for regular muffins, or 25–30 minutes for jumbo muffins, until a toothpick inserted in the cake portion comes out clean.
- Cool: Remove muffins from oven and cool completely before glazing.
- Prepare Cream Cheese Glaze: Beat cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and 1 tbsp milk until smooth and drizzle-able. Add more milk (up to 3 tbsp total) if needed to thin the glaze.
- Glaze Muffins: Pour or drizzle the cream cheese glaze over the cooled muffins for a rich finishing touch.
Notes
- You can use neutral oil like vegetable oil or melted coconut oil for the batter.
- The recipe yields either 6 jumbo muffins or 12-14 regular-sized muffins.
- Make sure cream cheese is softened for smooth batter and glaze.
- Ensure muffins are fully cooled before glazing to prevent melting.
- Optionally, add chopped nuts like walnuts or pecans to the muffin batter for added texture.
- Store muffins in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- For best flavor, allow muffins to rest overnight to fully develop flavors.
- Prep Time: 35 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
