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    Home » All Recipes

    Author: Donna | Published: Mar 28, 2019 |

    Protein Rich Carrot Cake Muffins Stuffed With Cream Cheese

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    Protein-rich carrot cake muffins stuffed with cream cheese

    Protein-rich carrot cake muffins stuffed with cream cheese are a great way to sneak some veggies into your afternoon snack. Kids love them, they are nut free and they freeze well so perfect for meal prepping ahead of a busy week.

    Protein Rich Carrot Cake Muffins in an ornate muffin tray

    I have a fun little muffin recipe to share with you today: easy carrot cake muffins stuffed with a gooey dollop of rich cream cheese. Sound delicious? Let me tell you they have been going down a treat around here.

    What Ingredients Are Needed For Carrot Cake Muffins?

    We like to keep it easy around here, and these muffins are no exception. They only take a handful of clean ingredients, most of which I can bet you will already have in your fridge and pantry:

    • whole wheat flour
    • cinnamon and ginger
    • butter
    • maple syrup
    • eggs
    • vanilla
    • carrots (a whole cup)
    • Greek yogurt
    • raisins or currants
    Single Protein Rich Carrot Cake Muffins on top of muffin tray with other muffins in the background

    Do Carrot Cake Muffins Taste Very Carroty? (As In Will My Kids Eat Them...)

    These little cream cheese stuffed carrot cake muffins have been such a hit with kids and adults alike. I had my kids help to make a batch, so they knew there was a lot of carrot in there and they didn't mind one bit.

    In fact, once baked, they couldn't believe the carrot was still in there!

    They are super moist and full of flavor, and that little pop of cream cheese in the middle is such a fun surprise.

    Protein Rich Carrot Cake Muffins cut in half to show the cream cheese inside

    How Much Cream Cheese Should I Stuff In the Middle?

    Now this is where you might have some arguments.

    We had differing opinions around here: the girls liked a little bit (maybe half a tsp) but the boys and the baby liked a lot (1 tsp++).

    Solution: Make two batches or just do half the batch with a big chunk and the other with a small one. Just remember which one is which!

    I love using silicone cups when making muffins as they are easier to remove from the tray. I found these cute pastel cups with no BPA and have been loving them.

    What Else Should I Know About Carrot Cake Muffins?

    Just a few things:

    • they are nut free so perfect for lunch boxes
    • they freeze well, just let thaw overnight in the fridge
    • they are a great way to sneak some veggies into meals
    • they have a nice kick of protein from using Greek yogurt. I have also used applesauce and mashed banana with great success if you want some fruit in there.

    Hot Tip: If you are into juicing these would be a great way to use up the pulp from your juice. Just use 1 cup of juice pulp in place of the grated carrot and you are good to go!

    Recipe

    protein rich cream cheese stuffed carrot cake muffins

    Protein Rich Carrot Cake Muffins Stuffed With Cream Cheese

    Whole Food Bellies
    Protein-rich carrot cake muffins stuffed with cream cheese are a great way to sneak some veggies into your afternoon snack. Kids love them, they are nut free and they freeze well so perfect for meal prepping ahead of a busy week.
    4 from 2 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Recipe Saved Recipes!
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 15 minutes mins
    Total Time 20 minutes mins
    Course Snack
    Cuisine Sweet
    Servings 12 muffins
    Calories 151 kcal

    Clicking any equipment link above will earn me a small commission at no extra cost to you.

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 cup white whole wheat flour
    • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda
    • 4 tablespoon unsalted butter melted and cooled
    • ½ cup pure maple syrup
    • 1 large egg beaten
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • ½ cup Greek yogurt
    • 1 cup finely grated carrot
    • ½ cup raisins or currants optional
    • ½ cup cream cheese cut into 12 cubes
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    Instructions
     

    • Preheat oven to 350F (175C) and grease muffin tin (I use coconut oil)
    • Combine the flour, cinnamon, ground ginger, salt, and baking soda in a mixing bowl and whisk until thoroughly combined
    • In a second bowl, combine the butter, maple syrup, egg, Greek yogurt and vanilla
    • Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir until just combined
    • Add the carrots and raisins and stir until just combined
    • Fill each cup in the pan to about ½ full. Add about a teaspoon of cream cheese (depending on your preference), add another dollop of muffin batter so the cup is about ¾ full. 
    • Bake for about 15-17 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.

    Notes

    You can sub in applesauce or mashed banana for the Greek yogurt if that is what you have on hand or you want some extra fruit in there.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 151kcalCarbohydrates: 17gProtein: 3gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 34mgPotassium: 105mgFiber: 1gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 2045IUVitamin C: 0.7mgCalcium: 48mgIron: 0.4mg
    Tried this recipe?Leave a comment HERE and let us know how it was!
    • Sweet Potato Oatmeal and Date Muffins;
    • Mini Vanilla Blueberry and Apple Muffins;
    • Carrot Apple and Ginger Mini Muffins.

    The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

    Don’t forget to follow Whole Food Bellies on Pinterest for more recipe inspiration! Or if Pinterest isn’t your style, bookmark this post! Let’s keep the conversation going- join my Facebook group! 

    « Lightened Up Creamy Pasta Salad
    Feta and Mushrooms on Toast Recipe »
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    Comments

    1. Jenna says

      April 09, 2019 at 10:12 am

      What a great idea to have the cream cheese inside the muffin instead of out. Certainly made sure the lunchboxes weren't messy and the kids thought it was a fun little treat. Thanks for sharing, we made a double batch so will be enjoying for the next week

      Reply
      • Donna says

        April 09, 2019 at 10:18 am

        Definitely! I made the mistake of packing a muffin with cream cheese on top once before...never again!

        Reply
    4 from 2 votes (1 rating without comment)

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    Hello and welcome, I'm Donna!

    I am so glad you are here!

    Since I have a part-time job, 3 little kids, and a love of good food (as do you I assume), I have learned how to get the most out of the kitchen in the smallest amount of time.

    Forget about hunting down weird ingredients and making trips to specialty shops.

    We are going to make the most of what is available at the store and farmer's markets all whilst enjoying some delicious meals the whole family (hopefully...if you have fussy eaters I guarantee nothing) will enjoy.

    Pop on that apron and let's get creative in the kitchen!

    More about me →

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