Name: Carrot Cake Muffins with Whipped Lemon Cream Cheese Icing
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
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)

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.