Carrot Cake Muffins Recipe

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These Carrot Cake Muffins are a delightful fusion of warm spices, sweet carrots, fruity apples, and chewy raisins and coconut. Each ingredient plays a crucial role in creating a moist, flavorful, and satisfying muffin experience.

This carrot cake muffin is one of my favorite muffins! It was the best-selling muffin I made at the cafe. All customers, young and old, loved eating these carrot cake muffins! Even years after I sold the restaurant, I still get requests for this recipe. 

My carrot cake muffins are full of shredded carrots, apples, coconut, raisins, cinnamon, and a splash of vanilla! Trust me; you will want to make every bite worthwhile. The best part about this recipe is that it is versatile! You could use the batter to make a carrot cake by adding cream cheese frosting. You can also bake it in a muffin tin to make individual muffins. The muffin batter lasts a while and can be kept in the fridge for up to 4 days. This means you can bake as needed and eat as much carrot cake as you want. 

This recipe is easy to assemble without needing a mixer. All you need is a bowl. Measure all the dry ingredients and place them in one bowl. Shred the carrots and apples with either a food processor or a hand shredder. Mix the wet ingredients, add them all together, and give it a good mix until they are incorporated well. 

While making the recipe for this blog, I discovered I didn’t have the correct baking muffin tin to bake it! So I baked some in a mini muffin pan and used the rest to make a carrot cake with icing on top! Surprisingly, I found out that my dog Mia loves carrot muffins. I usually try not to give her sugar, but I gave in just this once; moms do that! 

Carrot Cake Muffins Recipe Ingredients

  • All-Purpose Flour: Provides the base for the muffins, contributing to their structure and texture.
  • Sugar: Adds sweetness to the muffins, balancing the flavors and enhancing overall taste.
  • Baking Powder: Acts as a leavening agent, ensuring the muffins rise and become light and fluffy.
  • Cinnamon: Infuses a warm and aromatic flavor, complementing the sweetness of the muffins.
  • Salt: Enhances the overall flavor profile by balancing sweetness and other flavors.
  • Whole Eggs: Bind the ingredients together and contribute to the muffins’ moisture,
  • Vegetable Oil: Adding moisture to the muffins creates a tender and soft texture.
  • Vanilla Extract: Imparts a sweet and aromatic flavor, enhancing the overall taste of the muffins.
  • Peeled, Grated Carrots: Introduce natural sweetness and a moist texture, a signature element in carrot cake recipes.
  1. Grated Apples (2 medium-sized, no need to peel): Enhances sweetness and moisture, contributing to the overall fruity and tender profile.
  2. Raisins: Add sweetness and chewy texture, complementing the muffins’ flavor.
  3. Shredded Unsweetened Coconut: Introduces a subtle nuttiness and chewiness, elevating the texture and flavor complexity.

How to Shred Carrots for Perfect Carrot Cake Muffins:

Avoid pre-shredded options when preparing carrots for carrot cake muffins, as they tend to be drier. Opt for hand-grating or using a food processor for thin, evenly grated carrots, ensuring a moist and well-textured muffin.

To Frost or Not to Frost:

Consider adding frosting to your carrot cake muffins for an extra layer of indulgence. Cream cheese frosting is a classic choice with its tangy, sweet, and creamy notes. Ensure muffins cool completely before frosting to prevent melting.

Preventing Stickiness:

Use aluminum foil cup liners to prevent sticking. Apply non-stick cooking spray to the liners or mix melted butter and flour, spreading it in the cups with a pastry brush. Alternatively, spray the muffin tin directly for easy release.

Making it Gluten-Free:

Yes, you can make gluten-free carrot muffins! Substitute all-purpose flour with a gluten-free blend like almond, rice, or gluten-free all-purpose flour. Adjust the flour quantity, as gluten-free alternatives absorb liquids differently. Adding a binder like xanthan gum can enhance texture and cohesion in gluten-free baking. With a bit of experimentation, you can enjoy a delicious gluten-free carrot cake muffin recipe.

How to Make Carrot Cake Muffins Recipe

Preparation

1.
Preheat the oven to 375 F, grease all 12 cups on your muffin tin with butter and flour, or use a non-stick cooking spray.
Mark as complete
2.
In a large bowl, add the wet ingredients, the grated carrots, apples with the raisins, and shredded coconut.
Mark as complete
3.
Give it a good mix until all the ingredients combine, and let the batter rest for 5 minutes. You should notice the batter becomes a little wet and thinner because of the juice from carrots and apples being released. Give it another stir.
Divide the batter evenly between the 12 muffin cups.
Mark as complete
4.
Bake in a preheated oven at 375 F for 20 minutes. Insert a toothpick into a muffin if it comes out clean, and they are done!
Place the muffin tin on a cooling rack to cool and enjoy!
Mark as complete

Ingredients:

1X 2X 3X
Adjust Servings
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 ¼ cups sugar
2 tablespoons baking powder
2 tablespoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients: 3 whole eggs, 1 cup of vegetable oil, 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
Add-Ins:
2 cups peeled, grated carrots, about 3 carrots
1 ½ cups grated apples no need to peel 2 medium size apples
¾ cup raisin
¾ cup shredded unsweetened coconut

Preparation

1
Preheat the oven to 375 F, grease all 12 cups on your muffin tin with butter and flour, or use a non-stick cooking spray.
2
In a large bowl, add the wet ingredients, the grated carrots, apples with the raisins, and shredded coconut.
3
Give it a good mix until all the ingredients combine, and let the batter rest for 5 minutes. You should notice the batter becomes a little wet and thinner because of the juice from carrots and apples being released. Give it another stir. Divide the batter evenly between the 12 muffin cups.
4
Bake in a preheated oven at 375 F for 20 minutes. Insert a toothpick into a muffin if it comes out clean, and they are done! Place the muffin tin on a cooling rack to cool and enjoy!

Recipe Tips & Suggestions

How to store

Once the carrot cake muffins are completely cooled, you can store them in sealed containers with paper towels. Make sure the muffins are on top of the paper towels, and you should also place one on top of the muffins. This will prevent the muffins from getting soggy because they will absorb the extra moisture. You can keep the muffins in the container for up to 4 days.

Nutrition Information

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist's advice.
See our full nutrition disclosure here.

rana

By Rana

Thanks for visiting my Mediterranean food blog and welcome to my virtual kitchen! Here, you’ll find mouth-watering, wholesome, and nutritious Mediterranean recipes that will change the way you view cooking.

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