ABOUT THE RECIPE:
These Luscious Little Carrot Muffins are on the larger side, making them a perfect choice or an impressive breakfast, brunch, or dessert treat. Although the frosting and garnish are optional, they create a stunning presentation.
MAKES 24 MINI-MUFFINS
INGREDIENTS:
VEGAN CREAM CHEESE FROSTING (optional)
12 ounces vegan cream cheese, at room temperature
¾ cup confectioners’ sugar (powdered sugar), plus more as needed
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
MUFFINS
2 ½ cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ cup brown sugar
1 cup finely chopped walnuts
1 cup peeled and grated carrots
¾ cup raisins
1 cup plain or vanilla nondairy milk
½ cup vegetable oil (I use extra-virgin olive oil)
½ cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
CARROT GARNISH (optional)
⅓ cup peeled and grated carrots
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line two twelve-cup mini-muffin tins with paper liners.
To make the frosting, put the vegan cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar, and vanilla extract in a medium-sized bowl and stir vigorously until smooth and well blended. Cover and refrigerate for 3 to 6 hours, or until the frosting firms up.
To make the muffins, put the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl and stir with a dry whisk to combine. Add the brown sugar and stir with the whisk to combine. Add the walnuts, 1 cup of the shredded carrots, and raisins and stir until coated with the flour. Stir in the nondairy milk, oil, maple syrup, and vanilla extract and mix just until incorporated.
Divide the mixture among the lined muffin cups. The muffin cups will be very, very full. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.
Put the pans on wire racks and gently loosen the sides and tops of each muffin with a knife. Let cool for about 15 minutes. Carefully remove the muffins from the pans (you may need to cut the “muffin-tops” apart before removing them from the pans because they will overflow and fuse together while they bake). Let cool completely before adding the frosting.
Pipe or spoon a generous amount of frosting over the top of each muffin. Top each cupcake with a bit of the carrot garnish, placed artfully in the center of the frosting (see photo). Covered tightly and stored in the refrigerator, leftover carrot-muffins will keep for about 2 days.
Note: Use the frosting from this recipe to top a wide variety of cakes and other baked treats.
Ingredients
Directions
ABOUT THE RECIPE:
These Luscious Little Carrot Muffins are on the larger side, making them a perfect choice or an impressive breakfast, brunch, or dessert treat. Although the frosting and garnish are optional, they create a stunning presentation.
MAKES 24 MINI-MUFFINS
INGREDIENTS:
VEGAN CREAM CHEESE FROSTING (optional)
12 ounces vegan cream cheese, at room temperature
¾ cup confectioners’ sugar (powdered sugar), plus more as needed
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
MUFFINS
2 ½ cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ cup brown sugar
1 cup finely chopped walnuts
1 cup peeled and grated carrots
¾ cup raisins
1 cup plain or vanilla nondairy milk
½ cup vegetable oil (I use extra-virgin olive oil)
½ cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
CARROT GARNISH (optional)
⅓ cup peeled and grated carrots
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line two twelve-cup mini-muffin tins with paper liners.
To make the frosting, put the vegan cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar, and vanilla extract in a medium-sized bowl and stir vigorously until smooth and well blended. Cover and refrigerate for 3 to 6 hours, or until the frosting firms up.
To make the muffins, put the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl and stir with a dry whisk to combine. Add the brown sugar and stir with the whisk to combine. Add the walnuts, 1 cup of the shredded carrots, and raisins and stir until coated with the flour. Stir in the nondairy milk, oil, maple syrup, and vanilla extract and mix just until incorporated.
Divide the mixture among the lined muffin cups. The muffin cups will be very, very full. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.
Put the pans on wire racks and gently loosen the sides and tops of each muffin with a knife. Let cool for about 15 minutes. Carefully remove the muffins from the pans (you may need to cut the “muffin-tops” apart before removing them from the pans because they will overflow and fuse together while they bake). Let cool completely before adding the frosting.
Pipe or spoon a generous amount of frosting over the top of each muffin. Top each cupcake with a bit of the carrot garnish, placed artfully in the center of the frosting (see photo). Covered tightly and stored in the refrigerator, leftover carrot-muffins will keep for about 2 days.
Note: Use the frosting from this recipe to top a wide variety of cakes and other baked treats.