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–+ servings

Gluten-Free Carrot Cake Muffins and Cream Cheese Glaze

Gentle Tummy
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Ingredients
  

  • 3 eggs
  • 1/2 cup cane sugar
  • 1/3 cup cottage cheese (or sour cream)
  • 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 1/3 cup avocado oil (or light olive oil)
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1 cup almond flour
  • 1 cup oat flour
  • 2/3 cup cassava flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/2 cup golden raisins
  • 1/2 cup shredded carrots (3 medium carrots)
  • 1/3 cup shredded coconut

Cream Cheese Glaze:

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 425°F and line a muffin tin with paper liners or lightly grease it.
    Blend the cottage cheese smooth in a food processor, upright blender or chopper cup of an immersion blender to remove the curdled texture.
    In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, cane sugar, cottage cheese, unsweetened applesauce, avocado oil, vanilla extract, and apple cider vinegar until well combined.
    Add the dry ingredients, including almond flour, oat flour, cassava flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, ginger, and nutmeg. Whisk until just combined.
    Gently fold in the golden raisins, shredded carrots (3 medium-sized carrots), and shredded coconut with a spatula until combined.
  • Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups, filling each almost full. Allow the batter to mound higher in the middle for a higher dome.
    BAKING OPTION 1:
    To achieve a higher dome on the muffins, bake at 425°F for 5 minutes. Then, leave the muffin tin in the oven, reduce the heat to 350°F, and bake for 20-22 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. 
    BAKING OPTION 2:
    Bake 350°F for 25-28 minutes, until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
    Allow the muffins to cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
  • In a small bowl, beat the powdered cane sugar, room-temperature cream cheese, butter, vanilla extract, almond milk, and lemon juice until smooth and creamy.
    Once the muffins are completely cool, drizzle the cream cheese glaze over each muffin.
    Optional: sprinkle a hint of cinnamon, toasted coconut, and chopped walnuts or pecans on top of the muffins. Allow the glaze to cool and set and enjoy!

Video

Notes

Baking Time: Baking the muffins at a higher temperature and then reducing it will give a heat boost to the muffins, resulting in a higher dome.
Spice Flavor: Adjust the amount of spices to your taste. For an extra flavor kick, add a pinch of cloves or cardamom.
Glaze Consistency: If the glaze is too thick, add more almond milk a teaspoon at a time until it reaches the desired consistency. If it’s too thin, add a bit more powdered sugar.
Toasted Coconut: Adding toasted coconut on top of the muffins is optional but adds flavor and texture! Bring a frying pan to medium heat and melt 1 teaspoon of butter. Add 1/3 cup of coconut and several pinches of salt. Continuously stir the coconut for several minutes until it is lightly toasted.
Did you make this recipe?Please let me know in the comments below how it turned out :)