The carrot cake muffins are absolutely incredible. Imagine all the cozy flavors of a classic carrot cake packed into a fluffy muffin, topped with a sweet, crunchy streusel. They’re moist, perfectly spiced, and honestly, they’re like little bites of happiness. What’s great is that they’re super easy to make, and you probably have most of the ingredients in your pantry already. I’ve made these muffins countless times, perfecting the recipe along the way. With my foolproof tips, you can’t go wrong—I’m setting you up for success so you can bake these delicious muffins with confidence!
You’ll need all-purpose flour, brown sugar, melted butter and salt. If you find the mixture too moist, feel free to add more flour as needed.
In a small bowl, mix together ¼ cup all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar, 2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter, and ¼ teaspoon salt until the mixture becomes crumbly. If it feels too moist, add a bit more flour to achieve the right texture. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 2½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground ginger, ¼ teaspoon allspice, and ½ teaspoon salt. Make sure everything is well combined. At this stage I like to mix in my 1½ cups grated carrots, because I find it easier to mix them in at this point. In another bowl, whisk together 2 large eggs, ½ cup vegetable oil, 1 cup buttermilk, ½ cup sugar, ½ cup packed brown sugar, and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract until smooth and the sugars are dissolved. Gently fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients using a spatula. Mix until just combined; it’s okay if there are a few small lumps. Tip: Overmixing can lead to dense muffins. Mixing until just combined keeps them light and fluffy. Cover the bowl with a towel or plastic wrap and let the muffin batter rest for 15 minutes. Allowing the batter to rest lets the gluten relax and the baking powder activate, which helps the muffins rise better. While the batter is resting, preheat your oven to 425ºF (220ºC). Line two 12-cup muffin pans with paper liners, placing liners in every other cup so you’ll fill 6 cups in each pan, leaving space between them. Lightly spray the lined muffin cups with cooking spray. Tip: Spacing out the muffins allows better air circulation, helping them rise higher. Spraying the liners ensures the muffins release easily after baking. Using an ice cream scoop or a spoon, fill each lined muffin cup all the way to the top with the batter. Sprinkle the streusel topping evenly over each muffin, pressing it gently into the batter so it adheres. Tip: Filling the cups to the brim gives you those impressive, high-domed muffin tops. Adding extra chocolate chips on top makes the muffins look nicer and adds extra chocolate flavor. Place the muffin pans on the middle rack of your preheated oven. Bake at 425ºF (220ºC) for 7 minutes. Then, without opening the oven door, reduce the temperature to 350ºF (175ºC) and continue baking for an additional 16-20 minutes. To check for doneness, insert a toothpick into the center of a muffin; if it comes out clean, they’re ready. Tip: Starting at a high temperature helps the muffins rise quickly for a domed top. Lowering the temperature afterwards ensures they cook through without burning. Remove the muffins from the oven and let them cool in the pan for 15 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack. Tip: Letting the muffins cool in the pan helps them set and makes it easier to remove the liners without tearing the muffins.
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