Description
Delightful Carrot Apple Zucchini Muffins with cream cheese frosting blend sweet and earthy flavors into a wholesome treat. Moist crumb and creamy topping make these muffins perfect for breakfast or afternoon snacking when you crave something special.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup (50 g / 1.8 oz) shredded carrots
- ½ cup (50 g / 1.8 oz) shredded zucchini
- ½ cup (50 g / 1.8 oz) shredded apple
- 1 cup (125 g / 4.4 oz) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (60 g / 2.1 oz) whole wheat flour
- ½ cup (100 g / 3.5 oz) brown sugar
- ⅓ cup (80 ml / 2.7 fl oz) vegetable oil or melted coconut oil
- ½ cup (120 ml / 4 fl oz) unsweetened applesauce
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ cup (30 g / 1 oz) chopped walnuts or raisins
- 4 oz (115 g) cream cheese, softened
- 2 tbsps unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup (120 g / 4.2 oz) powdered sugar
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Oven Preparation: Preheat oven to 350F (175C) and prepare muffin tin with paper liners or light grease.
- Dry Ingredient Fusion: Whisk whole wheat and all-purpose flour with baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a mixing bowl until thoroughly combined.
- Wet Ingredient Harmony: Blend vegetable oil, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, and applesauce until smooth and uniform, creating a rich liquid base.
- Batter Assembly: Fold dry ingredients into wet mixture with minimal stirring, then gently incorporate shredded carrots, zucchini, diced apple, walnuts, and raisins until just combined.
- Baking Process: Fill muffin cups three-quarters full and bake for 20-22 minutes, testing with a toothpick for complete doneness; remove when inserted pick comes out clean.
- Cooling and Frosting Preparation: Transfer muffins to cooling rack and simultaneously whip cream cheese and butter until fluffy, gradually mixing in powdered sugar and vanilla for smooth frosting.
- Final Presentation: Once completely cooled, generously spread or pipe cream cheese frosting over muffins, garnishing with a sprinkle of chopped nuts or light cinnamon dusting.
Notes
- Prevent Soggy Texture: Squeeze excess moisture from shredded zucchini using a clean kitchen towel to maintain muffin structure and prevent mushiness.
- Customize Mix-Ins Smartly: Chop nuts and dried fruits uniformly to distribute evenly, ensuring balanced flavor and texture in every bite.
- Master Gentle Mixing: Fold ingredients with minimal strokes to keep muffins tender, stopping when dry ingredients are just incorporated to avoid dense, tough results.
- Swap for Dietary Needs: Replace wheat flour with gluten-free blend, use coconut oil instead of vegetable oil, and swap eggs with flax eggs for alternative dietary preferences.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Snacks, Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 11
- Calories: 210
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 31 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg