Carrot cake meets muffins in this healthy breakfast recipe. Whole-wheat pastry flour along with plenty of carrots and toasted walnuts add fiber while applesauce keeps the muffins moist and helps cut back on sugar.
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups whole-wheat pastry flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup plain whole-milk greek yogurt, plus 2 tablespoons, divided
- 1 ½ cups grated carrots (about 3 medium carrots)
- ½ cup toasted chopped walnuts
- ⅓ cup unsifted confectioners' sugar
- 1 ½ ounces reduced-fat cream cheese, softened
Directions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners; coat with cooking spray. Set aside. Whisk flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, ginger and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk eggs, applesauce, brown sugar, granulated sugar and 1/2 cup yogurt in a large bowl; fold in carrots, walnuts and half of the flour mixture until combined. Add the remaining flour mixture; fold until just incorporated (some lumps can remain).
- Fill the prepared muffin cups three-quarters full with batter (about 1/3 cup each). Bake until the muffins are golden and a wooden pick inserted in the centers comes out clean, about 18 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely, about 20 minutes.
- Whisk confectioners' sugar, cream cheese and the remaining 2 tablespoons yogurt in a small bowl; whisk in 2 to 3 teaspoons water to reach desired frosting consistency. Dollop and spread the frosting over the cooled muffins.