The real difference between muffins and cupcakes is the context: you serve muffins at breakfast and cupcakes at all other times. Carrot Cake Muffins blur those lines even more, with bright and sweet cakes with the classic carrot cake flavor. Filled with jammy raisins and crunchy nuts, Carrot Cake Muffins make for a stunning breakfast, an uplifting afternoon snack, or even a tasty dessert. Consider topping with cream cheese frosting to transform the muffin into a delicious cupcake!
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup butter, melted
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 1/2 cups carrots, grated
- 1/2 cup coconut, shredded
- 1/4 cup golden raisins
- 1/2 cup pecans, chopped
- cream cheese frosting, optional, for topping
Directions
Step 1 –Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Step 2 –Line 12 muffin tin cups with paper liners or grease with nonstick spray.
Step 3 –In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, brown sugar, egg, buttermilk, and vanilla until well-combined.
Step 4 –Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon to the bowl, stirring until just combined but being careful not to over-mix.
Step 5 –Stir in the carrots, coconut, raisins, and pecans until just incorporated.
Step 6 –Divide the batter among the muffin tins.
Step 7 –Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffin comes out clean, about 18-25 minutes.
Step 8 –Let the muffins cool in the pan for about 5-10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Step 9 –Top with the cream cheese frosting once the muffins are cool and then serve!