Carrot Cake Muffins Recipe
These carrot cake muffins are everything you love about carrot cake—spiced, moist, and topped with tangy cream cheese frosting—but in a portable, breakfast-friendly form. They come together in one bowl and bake in under 25 minutes.
If you’ve ever wanted carrot cake for breakfast without the fuss of layering a whole cake, this is your recipe. The crumb is tender from grated carrots and Greek yogurt, and the frosting is thick enough to stay put on a muffin.
Make a dozen on Sunday and you’ve got grab-and-go breakfasts for the week. They freeze well, too, so you’re never more than a quick thaw away from a genuinely good muffin.
What Makes This Carrot Cake Muffins Recipe So Good
The grated carrots do the heavy lifting here. They release moisture as the muffins bake, so the crumb stays soft for days without any pudding mix or excessive oil.
Three warm spices—cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger—build the flavor you expect from carrot cake. Skip any one of them and you’ll notice the difference.
The frosting is deliberately tangy. Cream cheese and butter are beaten with just one cup of powdered sugar, so it reads as a complement to the muffin rather than a sugar bomb on top of one.
Servings: 12 muffins | Prep time: 15 minutes | Cook time: 22 minutes | Total time: 37 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups (180g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (100g) packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1/2 cup (120ml) neutral oil (vegetable or canola)
- 1/4 cup (60g) plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups (about 150g) finely grated carrots (3–4 medium carrots)
- 1/2 cup (60g) chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
- 1/4 cup (40g) raisins (optional)
- For the cream cheese frosting: 4 oz (113g) cream cheese, softened
- 2 tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup (120g) powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat and prep. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease well.
- Whisk dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger.
- Combine wet ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk sugars, eggs, oil, Greek yogurt, and vanilla until smooth and slightly thickened, about 1 minute.
- Add carrots and mix. Stir the grated carrots into the wet mixture. Then add the dry ingredients and fold gently with a spatula until just combined—do not overmix. Fold in nuts and raisins, if using.
- Fill and bake. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, filling each about 3/4 full. Bake for 20–22 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
- Make frosting. While muffins cool, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt; beat until fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Frost and serve. Once muffins are completely cool, spread or pipe frosting on top. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to eat.
Tips & Variations
Grate on the fine side. Finely grated carrots distribute evenly through the batter and disappear into the crumb. Chunkier shreds leave pockets that can taste raw.
Lighten the oil. Swap half the oil for unsweetened applesauce to cut some fat without losing moisture. Don’t replace all of it—you’ll lose the tender texture.
Try a tropical twist. Add 1/4 cup shredded coconut or pineapple tidbits to the batter along with the nuts.
Dial back the sugar. Reduce brown sugar to 1/3 cup if you prefer a less sweet muffin. The frosting still balances it well.
Make minis. Bake mini muffins at 375°F for 10–12 minutes. They’re great for lunchboxes.
For a bakery-style dome. Start at 400°F for the first 5 minutes, then drop to 350°F for the rest of the bake. The initial blast of heat sets the top before the center rises.
Toast the nuts. A few minutes in a dry skillet brings out their flavor and keeps them from tasting flat.
Storage & Make-Ahead
Store frosted muffins in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Unfrosted muffins can be kept at room temperature for 2 days or frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw frozen muffins at room temperature before frosting.
Nutrition Information
- Calories: 380 kcal
- Carbohydrates: 48 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Fat: 19 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Sugar: 30 g
- Sodium: 290 mg
Nutrition values are an estimate and will vary based on exact ingredients and portion sizes.
Questions About Carrot Cake Muffins
Can I make these muffins without frosting?
Absolutely. The muffins are delicious on their own, especially warm. You can also dust them with powdered sugar or leave them plain for a less sweet option.
How do I prevent the muffins from sticking to the liners?
Use parchment paper liners or grease the muffin tin well. Let the muffins cool completely before removing from the liners, as they can be delicate when warm.
Can I use pre-shredded carrots?
Pre-shredded carrots are often too thick and dry. For best results, grate fresh carrots on the fine side of a box grater.
Can I make this recipe as a loaf instead?
Yes, pour the batter into a greased 9×5-inch loaf pan and bake at 350°F for 50–60 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
How do I keep the frosting from melting?
Ensure the muffins are completely cool before frosting. If your kitchen is warm, refrigerate the muffins for 15 minutes after frosting to set.
