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Healthy Carrot Cake Muffins – Soft, Naturally Sweetened & Kid-Approved 🥕🧁
These healthy carrot cake muffins feel like a dessert but are packed with nutrients—naturally sweetened, soft, moist, and perfect for babies, toddlers, and older kids. Made with grated carrots, yogurt, avocado oil, and warm spices, then topped with a light cream cheese frosting made with Greek yogurt and maple syrup.
They’re subtly spiced with cinnamon, and optionally nutmeg and ginger for that classic carrot cake flavor without overwhelming sensitive little palates. Ideal for breakfast, snacks, or lunchboxes.
Serving Suggestions
- For babies (9–12 months): Serve bite-sized pieces. Use date syrup instead of maple syrup. Offer yogurt on the side for dipping.
- For toddlers: Frost lightly and serve as breakfast, snack, or healthy dessert.
- For older kids: Add raisins, chopped walnuts (if no allergy), or extra cream cheese frosting.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Grated carrots: Essential—don’t substitute.
- Eggs: For egg-free, use flax eggs or ¼ cup mashed banana per egg.
- Avocado oil: Sub with melted coconut oil, light olive oil, or applesauce.
- Maple syrup: For babies under 12 months, use date syrup.
- Plain yogurt: Sub with dairy-free yogurt or sour cream.
- White spelt flour: Sub with all-purpose, whole wheat, or gluten-free 1:1 flour.
Ingredients
- 1 full cup grated carrots
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup plain yogurt
- 1/3 cup avocado oil or coconut oil
- 1/3 cup maple syrup or date syrup (for under 12 months)
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 1/2 cups white spelt flour or all-purpose
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- For frosting: 3 tbsp cream cheese, 2 tbsp yogurt, splash of maple or date syrup
- Optional: 1/4 tsp nutmeg, 1/4 tsp ground ginger
Directions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Shred carrots (about 3 carrots).
- Add carrots to a bowl along with eggs, yogurt, oil, maple/date syrup, and vanilla. Mix to combine.
- Add flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and optional spices. Combine gently—do not overmix.
- Spray or line a muffin tin and add the batter.
- Bake for 23–25 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make the frosting by whipping cream cheese, yogurt, and maple/date syrup. Chill.
- Let muffins cool completely before frosting. Optional: serve frosting on the side for dipping.
Storage Notes
Store muffins in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the fridge. They also freeze well—freeze individually, then store in a freezer-safe bag. Reheat in microwave or oven until warmed through.
