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Cream Cheese-Filled Carrot Cake Muffins

Fluffy and moist carrot cake muffins with a creamy cream cheese center.

Course Dessert
Prep Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes
Servings 12 muffins
Author Taavi Moore

Ingredients

Cream Cheese Filling

  • 4 oz cream cheese, cold
  • 1 tbsp granulated sugar
  • ¼ tsp vanilla extract

Muffins

  • 2 cups (285g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch
  • 1 ½ tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
  • ¼ tsp ground ginger
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 1 cup (203g) packed brown sugar
  • ¼ cup (52g) granulated sugar
  • ½ cup (113g) vegetable oil
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 cups (220g) shredded carrot
  • ¾ cup (80g) chopped walnuts + more for topping

Cream Cheese Icing

  • 4 oz room temperature cream cheese
  • ½ cup (65g) powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2-3 tbsp milk

Instructions

  1. Prep the cream cheese filling. Beat together cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Roll into 1 heaping tbsp portions and freeze until completely frozen, 30-45 min. 

  2. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a muffin tin with liners. 

  3. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking soda and powder, spices, and salt. In a separate larger mixing bowl, whisk together sugars, vegetable oil, eggs, vinegar, and vanilla extract. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to gradually add flour mixture into the wet mixture. Combine until a smooth batter forms. Fold in carrots and walnuts.

  4. Fill muffin liner halfway full with batter, top with frozen cream cheese ball and slightly press into batter, top with another scoop of batter until liner is mostly full. Repeat with remaining batter and cream cheese. 

  5. Bake muffins for 5 minutes at 425°F. Reduce heat to 350°F for 16-20 more minutes until toothpick inserted comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cool in muffin tin for 10 minutes before carefully transferring to wire cooling rack. 

  6. While cake is cooling, prepare the icing. Use a handheld mixer to beat together cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Slowly mix in milk until desired consistency. Top cooled muffins with icing and enjoy.