Carrot Cake Muffins

Healthy Carrot Cake Muffins made with carrots, apples, bananas and almond milk... they taste just like your favourite carrot cake recipe, but deliciously light and healthy!

5 from 9 votes

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Course: healthy snacks

Cuisine: Muffins

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 20

Total Time: 30

Servings: serves

Calories: 320kcal

Author: Lucy - Bake Play Smile

Cost: $10

Equipment

Thermomix (optional)
Oven

Ingredients

2 eggs room temperature
55 g (¼ cup) coconut oil or olive oil
⅓ cup banana ripe & mashed, approximately 1 banana
85 g (¼ cup) honey or rice malt syrup
1 apple grated
100 g (½ cup) brown sugar
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 ½ teaspoon bi-carb soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
125 g (½ cup) almond milk unsweetened (I used VitaSoy)
100 g (1 cup) grated carrot firmly packed
60 g (⅔ cup) rolled oats
50 g (½ cup) almond meal
120 g (1 cup) plain flour or substitute for ½ cup plain flour and ½ cup wholemeal plain flour
40 g (¼ cup) chopped nuts pecans, walnuts etc, for sprinkling

Instructions

Conventional Method

Preheat oven to 190 degrees celsius (fan-forced). Line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper liners and set aside.
Place the eggs, coconut oil, mashed banana and honey into a large bowl and whisk to combine.
Add the grated apple, brown sugar, salt, bi-carb soda, cinnamon and almond milk and whisk together.
Very gently fold through the grated carrot, rolled oats, almond meal and flour.
Divide the mixture amongst the prepared muffin tray holes (filling almost to the top).
Sprinkle over the chopped nuts.
Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden.
The muffins are cooked when they are lightly golden and spring back when touched. Allow to cool in the tray for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Thermomix Method

Preheat oven to 190 degrees celsius (fan-forced). Line a 12-hole muffin tin with liners and set aside.
Place the carrot and apple into the Thermomix bowl and mix for 5 seconds, Speed 10 (or until finely grated). Set aside in a separate bowl.
Place the eggs, melted coconut oil, mashed banana and honey into the Thermomix bowl and mix for 10 seconds, Speed 5. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Add the brown sugar, sea salt, bi-carbonate soda, cinnamon and almond milk and mix for 10 seconds, Speed 5. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Add the reserved grated carrot and apple, rolled oats, almond meal and plain flour and mix for 5 seconds, Reverse, Speed 5. Scrape down the sides and repeat for a further 2-3 seconds.
Divide the mixture amongst the prepared muffin tray holes (filling to the top). Sprinkle over the chopped nuts. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden.
The muffins are cooked when they are lightly golden and spring back when touched. Allow to cool in the tray for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

RECIPE NOTES & TIPS

Ingredients:

Coconut Oil – this can be bought from any major supermarket. If you live in a cool climate, the coconut oil may solidify in the glass jar – simply melt it in the microwave before using.
Natural sweeteners – our healthy muffins are sweetened using a combination of honey (or substitute with rice malt syrup), mashed banana, grated apple and a small amount of brown sugar.
Almond milk – is a healthy low fat, high calcium plant milk made from almonds with a creamy, nutty flavour. You can buy almond milk from any supermarket or make your own.

Baking:

Use room temperature ingredients.
Don't overmix - gently fold through the dry ingredients
Add some grains of rice to the bottom of the muffin tin holes - this stops the paper cases from being greasy.
For a nutty crunch on top - sprinkle chopped pecans or walnuts over the top of the muffins before baking for a beautiful crunch.
Storing – carrot cake muffins can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Alternatively, they can be frozen for up to 3 months. Allow to defrost at room temperature before consuming.

Nutrition