Carrot Cake Cream Cheese Muffins

Ingredients

• 8 oz cream cheese (1 block, at room temperature)
• 0.25 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste or extract
• salt (Pinch)
• 0.5 cup all-purpose flour
• 0.5 cup chopped pecans
• 5 tbsp brown sugar (light or dark)
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 0.25 tsp salt
• 3 tbsp salted butter (softened)
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup cake flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 0.25 tsp baking soda
• 0.5 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 0.5 tsp ground ginger
• 0.25 tsp ground nutmeg
• 0.5 cup olive oil (or oil of choice)
• 0.75 cup brown sugar (light or dark)
• 0.25 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs (at room temperature)
• 0.333 cup Greek yogurt or sour cream (at room temperature)
• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste or extract
• 1.333 cup grated carrots (finely grated)

Steps

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with 6 muffin liners, filling only every other muffin well with batter to prevent overcrowding and help create a classic muffin top. Alternatively, line a 6-cup jumbo muffin pan with 3 liners. If you prefer to bake all at once, line all 12 wells of a single pan. Set aside.

2. 2

   In a medium bowl, use a handheld electric mixer to beat the 8oz of cream cheese until smooth. Add 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1 tsp vanilla, and a pinch of salt, and beat for about 2 minutes until very smooth and creamy. Transfer the filling to a piping bag or a large ziplock bag and set aside.

3. 3

   In a medium bowl, mix together 1/2 cup flour, 1/2 cup chopped pecans, 5 tbsp brown sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon, and 1/4 tsp salt. Add 3 tbsp softened butter and use your hands or a fork to mash together until it forms a crumble. Set aside.

4. 4

   In a separate medium bowl, whisk together 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 cup cake flour, 2 tsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ginger, and 1/4 tsp nutmeg. Set aside.

5. 5

   In a separate large bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup olive oil, 3/4 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 2 eggs, 1/3 cup Greek yogurt (or sour cream), and 1 tsp vanilla until well combined and smooth.

6. 6

   Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to fold until just combined and no flour streaks remain.

7. 7

   Fold in the 1 1/3 cups grated carrots until evenly dispersed throughout the batter. Cover the bowl and allow the batter to rest for 15-20 minutes at room temperature to ensure lighter and fluffier muffins.

8. 8

   After resting, scoop and divide the batter among the prepared muffin cups, filling them to the rim.

9. 9

   Snip the tip off the piping bag containing the cream cheese filling. Place the tip into the center of the batter for each muffin, pushing it about halfway down. Squeeze the filling while pulling up slowly in a circular motion to create a small swirl at the top so the cream cheese is exposed at the surface. Use all of the filling.

10. 10

    Sprinkle the brown sugar pecan streusel on top of the muffins, placing it around the exposed cream cheese center rather than over it.

11. 11

    For regular-sized muffins: Bake at 425°F for 5 minutes. Then, without removing the muffins, turn the oven temperature down to 350°F and bake for another 15-20 minutes until they feel firm when pressed and a toothpick inserted into the muffin portion comes out clean.

12. 12

    For jumbo muffins: Bake at 425°F for 5 minutes. Then turn the oven temperature down to 350°F and bake for another 25-30 minutes until firm and a toothpick comes out clean.

13. 13

    Remove the muffins from the oven and allow them to cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Transfer them to a wire cooling rack.

14. 14

    Serve the muffins warm with a hot cup of coffee.

Notes

Store cooled muffins in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To reheat, warm in the microwave for 15-20 seconds or in a 300°F oven for 5-7 minutes. Freshly grated carrots are highly recommended over pre-shredded for better moisture and texture.

Nutrition per serving

• breakfast
• dessert
• muffin
• carrot cake
• cream cheese
• baked
• bakery-style
• pecan