Description
These Carrot Cake Crumb Muffins are soft, moist, and bursting with spiced carrot flavor, topped with a sweet buttery crumb and a tangy cream cheese glaze. Perfect for breakfast or a delightful snack, they combine the classic carrot cake taste into convenient, individual-sized muffins that everyone will love.
Ingredients
Crumb Topping
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼-½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ cup cold butter, diced small
Muffin Batter
- 2 cups shredded carrots (3 medium or 2 large carrots, approx. 270g)
- 2 ½ cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- ¼ cup milk
Cream Cheese Glaze
- Ingredients for glaze are implied but not specified; typically cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prepare the Crumb Topping: In a small bowl, combine 1 cup flour, ½ cup brown sugar, ¼ cup granulated sugar, and ¼-½ teaspoon cinnamon. Cut in the cold diced butter gently with a pastry cutter or fingers until medium-sized clumps form. Refrigerate the mixture until ready to use.
- Preheat the Oven: Set your oven to 425°F (220°C) and line a muffin tray with muffin liners.
- Prepare the Carrots: Use a food processor or box grater to shred the carrots finely until you have about 2 cups total.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 ½ cups flour, 1 cup dark brown sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and ½ teaspoon salt.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In another bowl, whisk together 4 large eggs, 1 cup vegetable oil, and ¼ cup milk until well combined.
- Add Carrots: Stir the shredded carrots into the wet ingredients mixture thoroughly.
- Combine Batter: Pour dry ingredients into the wet mixture and gently fold until just combined. Avoid overmixing; it’s okay if the batter is lumpy.
- Rest Batter (Optional): Let the batter rest for 15-20 minutes to improve texture and moisture.
- Fill Muffin Liners: Spoon batter into muffin liners filling each to the top. Sprinkle the crumb topping liberally over each muffin.
- Bake Muffins: Bake at 425°F for 7 minutes, then reduce heat to 350°F (175°C) without opening the oven and bake for another 13-15 minutes until golden brown.
- Prepare Glaze: While muffins cool, prepare the cream cheese glaze in a small bowl (typically cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract).
- Serve: Drizzle glaze over cooled muffins and enjoy.
Notes
- Resting the batter before baking helps achieve a moister texture.
- Do not overmix muffin batter to maintain tenderness.
- The crumb topping may fall onto the muffin tin during baking, which is normal.
- Use fresh/shredded carrots for best texture and flavor.
- Adjust cinnamon quantity in crumb topping to taste.
- The cream cheese glaze ingredients were not specified, but a simple mixture of cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla works well.
