In our family, the classic dessert for Easter is carrot cake, for all the obvious reasons. While we’re big fans of giving yourself the permission to enjoy a piece of cake, brownie, ice cream, or other treat from time to time, we’re even bigger fans of taking our favorite treats and finding healthier ways to make them so we can enjoy them more often. These healthy carrot cake muffins are the answer we’ve been looking for with our favorite spring time dessert.
You could make these healthy carrot cake muffins in a full cake form, as well, if you’d rather have a cake instead of muffins. You’ll need to cook the cake longer than these muffins, so be sure to check it fairly often so as to not overcook and dry out the cake.
Healthy Carrot Cake Muffins | Ingredients
You’ll notice these muffins include many of the same ingredients as cake – flour, a sweetener, and a fat source. The difference is this recipe simply makes healthier choices in each place. The flour is whole wheat, the sweetener is all-natural maple syrup, and the fat comes from full fat Greek yogurt. You can use this same principle, replacing the unhealthy option with a healthier choice, in all your baked goods.
Muffin mixture:
- 3 eggs
- 1/2 C Full Fat Greek Yogurt
- 1/4 C Maple Syrup
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1/4 C Milk of choice
- 2 Large Carrots, peeled and shredded
- 1 1/2 C Whole Wheat Flour
- 1 3/4 tsp Baking Powder
- 1 1/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
- Pinch of salt
Frosting:
- 8 oz. Light Cream Cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1/4 C Maple Syrup
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
Healthy Carrot Cake Muffins | Instructions
Muffin Mixture:
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In a large bowl, beat your eggs until they have lightened and become slightly fluffy. Then add the Greek yogurt and mix until completely combined.
- Add in your choice of milk, vanilla extract, and maple syrup. Mix again to incorporate. Next mix in the carrots.
- In a smaller bowl, combine the whole wheat flour with the baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
- Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, and fold just until the lumps come out. Do not over mix. This will make the cake tougher.
- Divide evenly into a 12 cup muffin tin, and bake for 20 minutes.
- While the muffins bake, combine the ingredients for the frosting in a bowl, and beat until well combined. Set aside.
- When a toothpick comes out of the muffins clean, they are done. Remove them from the oven and onto a cooling rack. Allow to cool at room temperature until no longer warm to the touch.
- Once the muffins have cooled, top with the frosting and enjoy!
