Moist Sourdough Carrot Cake Muffins (Cream Cheese Frosting)

A sourdough carrot cake muffin with cream cheese frosting topped with shredded carrots for garnish and golden sprinkles.

5 from 1 vote

Moist Sourdough Carrot Cake Muffins (Cream Cheese Frosting)

These easy sourdough carrot cake muffins are perfectly moist, full of warm spices and sweet shredded carrots. Topped with a velvety cream cheese frosting, these carrot muffins make a sweet breakfast, a delightful grab-and-go snack, or a festive Easter treat.

Prep Time40

Cook Time18

Total Time58

Servings:

Calories: 277kcal

Author: Alicia Pyle

Equipment

Muffin pan
Mixing bowls
Cheesecloth
Muffin liners optional
Cookie scoop optional for scooping batter into liners

Ingredients

For the Carrot Cake Muffins:

2 and 1/3 cups all-purpose flour 300g
1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup sourdough starter 100g discard or fed (room temperature)
2 eggs (room temperature)
1/3 cup avocado oil (or preferred vegetable oil)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup packed brown sugar light or dark
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup buttermilk (room temperature)
1 and 1/2 cups carrots, grated and squeezed see notes

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened (1 stick)
8 ounces cream cheese, softened brick-style
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 cups confectioners' sugar 500g

Instructions

For the Carrot Muffins:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a muffin pan with 18 paper liners. Spray liners with non-stick spray or coat with a thin layer of butter.
Lay a cheesecloth or tea towel in a small bowl and toss the shredded carrots in. Sprinkle the 1/2 teaspoon of salt over the shredded carrots and massage it into the carrots. Cover and leave it to rest for about 20 minutes. After resting, twist and squeeze the towel with the carrots in it, getting as much juice as you can out of the carrots. Then, brush the carrots off the towel and into the bowl and set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg, and whisk together.
In another large bowl, combine sourdough starter, eggs, oil, vanilla extract, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and buttermilk* and mix well.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, gently mixing until most of the flour is combined. Use a spatula to fold in the grated and squeezed carrots. Optional at this point, you may fold in 1/3 cup of chopped walnuts.
Spoon enough batter into each liner, filling about 2/3rds full. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until the tops are springy and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few crumbs. Cool muffins in pan for 5 minutes and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

In a large mixing bowl with a handheld mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter on medium speed for about 30 seconds until creamy. Add the softened cream cheese, vanilla, and salt. Beat together on medium speed for about about 3 minutes until very well combined.
With the mixer on low, add 4 cups of confectioners' sugar a cup at a time. Mix until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat again on medium speed for 1 minute or until nice and fluffy.
Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a decorative tip and pipe over cooled muffins.
Optional: garnish each frosted muffin with sprinkles and a few bits of grated carrot.

Video

Notes

For the shredded carrots: This recipe works best when reducing some of the liquid.

Lay a cheesecloth or tea towel in a small bowl and toss the shredded carrots in. Sprinkle the 1/2 teaspoon of salt over the shredded carrots and massage it into the carrots. Cover and leave it to rest for about 20 minutes. The salt will draw the moisture out of the carrots, just like making sauerkraut.
After resting, twist and squeeze the towel with the carrots in it, getting as much juice as you can out of the carrots. Then, brush the carrots off the towel and into the bowl.

*No Buttermilk? Add a teaspoon of vinegar to the measuring cup, and then add regular milk until you have 3/4 a cup of liquid. Stir and let sit for about 5 minutes. Proceed with the recipe.

Storage: Store cooled and frosted carrot cake muffins in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Freezing: Unfrosted muffins and frosting can be frozen separately in a freezer-safe container, or freeze fully cooled and frosted muffins for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge or at room temperature for 1 hour, or until thawed through.

Nutrition