Carrot Cake Muffins with Whipped Lemon Cream Cheese Icing
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 6-8 servings
Description
Try these delicious carrot cake muffins topped with a smooth cream cheese icing and toasted pecan nuts. A quick and easy treat to prepare for teatime.
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
2 C (500 ml) cake flour
½ C (125 ml) brown sugar
1 Tbsp (15 ml) baking powder
½ tsp (2,5 ml) salt
1 tsp (5 ml) cinnamon
Wet Ingredients
1 C (250 ml) milk
1 large egg
½ C (125 ml) delicate style extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract
¾ C (180 ml) grated carrots
¾ C (180 ml) tinned pineapple, drained chopped (or use crushed tinned pineapple, drained)
Cream Cheese Icing
50 g butter
300 g icing sugar, sifted
150 g full-fat cream cheese
1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla essence
a squeeze of lemon juice (adjust to taste)
Garnish
100 g pecan nuts, crushed and toasted
lemon zest (optional)
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 180 ºC.
In a large bowl, mix all the dry ingredients until combined.
In another bowl, mix the wet ingredients well and then add them to the dry. Use a spatula to fold the ingredients together until there are no dry spots but be gentle. you don’t want to overmix the batter.
Spoon the mixture into a well-greased muffin tin, about three-quarters full. Bake for 20 minutes and then check, a skewer inserted into the centre should come out clean. Leave the muffins to cool in the tray for 10 minutes before popping them out onto a cooling rack.
While the oven is hot, lightly toast the pecan nuts, alternatively, you can dry toast in a frying pan. Crush lightly to form small crumbles.
Cream Cheese Icing
While the muffins are baking, add the butter to a stand mixer and beat, add in the icing sugar in batches until combined. Add the cream cheese, vanilla and a squeeze of lemon juice and mix until you have a glossy cream cheese icing.
Use a palette knife to generously smother the muffins with cream cheese icing. Top with toasted pecan nuts and if desired, a little grated lemon zest.
