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Carrot Cake Muffins with Cream Cheese Filling Recipe

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3.9 from 55 reviews

  • Author: Amina
  • Total Time: 37 minutes
  • Yield: 12 muffins
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Description

Delight in these moist and flavorful Carrot Cake Muffins with a creamy, luscious cream cheese filling. These muffins combine the warm spices of cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg with the natural sweetness of grated carrots and crunchy walnuts, creating a perfect balance of taste and texture. Ideal for breakfast, snacks, or dessert, each bite offers a tender crumb surrounding a rich cream cheese center, topped with a walnut crumble for an irresistible finish.

Ingredients

Cream Cheese Filling

  • 170 grams (6 oz) cream cheese, block style, softened
  • 30 grams (2 tablespoons) granulated sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Muffin Batter

  • 190 grams (1 cup and 5 tablespoons) all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt (optional)
  • 2 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 155 grams (3/4 cup) granulated sugar
  • 110 grams (1/2 cup) olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 190 grams (1 and 2/3 cups) grated carrots
  • 60 grams (1/2 cup) walnuts, roughly cut into small pieces for the batter
  • 60 grams (1/2 cup) walnuts, roughly chopped into very small and small pieces for topping

Instructions

  1. Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a 12-cup muffin pan with non-stick standard paper liners and set aside.
  2. Make Cream Cheese Filling: In a medium bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, 2 tablespoons sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract. Press together with a spoon until fully mixed and smooth. Set aside.
  3. Prepare Walnuts: Roughly chop 60 grams of walnuts into small pieces to incorporate into the batter. Chop the remaining 60 grams finely to use as a topping for a crunchy crumble effect.
  4. Grate Carrots: Peel and finely grate the carrots until you have 190 grams (about 1 and 2/3 cups). Set aside.
  5. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground nutmeg, baking powder, and salt (if using). Set aside.
  6. Combine Wet Ingredients: In another medium bowl, whisk the eggs and 3/4 cup granulated sugar together until just combined, about 30 seconds. Add the olive oil and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and whisk again until incorporated but not overmixed.
  7. Incorporate Dry Ingredients: Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients in two batches. Use a whisk for the first batch but switch to a spatula for the second batch to gently fold the flour. A few flour streaks can remain without concern.
  8. Add Carrots and Walnuts: Fold in the grated carrots and the small chopped walnuts into the batter using a spatula, mixing until evenly distributed.
  9. Set Aside Some Batter: Reserve 6 tablespoons of the batter for topping later.
  10. Fill Muffin Cups: Divide the remaining batter evenly into the 12 muffin liners, about slightly more than 2 tablespoons per cup.
  11. Add Cream Cheese Filling: Make a small indentation in the center of each muffin batter with a spoon. Add about 2 heaping teaspoons of cream cheese filling into the hole, gently pressing it down lightly.
  12. Top with Reserved Batter and Walnuts: Dollop about 1/2 tablespoon of reserved batter over each cream cheese filling and gently spread it out with a spoon. Sprinkle the finely chopped walnuts over the tops for a walnut crumble effect.
  13. Bake Muffins: Bake in the preheated oven for 22 minutes or until the tops turn golden brown and a toothpick inserted from the sides (to avoid the cream cheese filling) comes out clean.
  14. Cool Muffins: Let the muffins rest in the pan for 10 minutes. Then carefully remove them and transfer to a wire rack to cool for at least 25 minutes before serving.

Notes

  • Do not overmix the batter to keep the muffins light and tender.
  • If preferred, you can substitute olive oil with a neutral vegetable oil for a milder flavor.
  • Testing doneness by inserting the toothpick from the sides helps avoid the creamy center which can stay moist.
  • These muffins can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days or refrigerated for up to 5 days.
  • For a nut-free version, omit the walnuts and consider adding toasted sunflower seeds or leaving them out entirely.
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 22 minutes
  • Category: Breakfast, Snack, Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Find it online: https://aminabakes.com/carrot-cake-muffins-with-cream-cheese-filling-recipe/