Surprise! These carrot muffins make a perfect potluck offering.
Carrots are a staple in every produce drawer. This budget-friendly vegetable can enhance your contribution to the community clubhouse potluck this Easter. Roasting the carrots caramelizes their natural sugars, and the maple syrup complements the spice in the roasting sauce. Another advantage of roasting the carrots is that the process can be done in advance, allowing the pureed mixture to meld the flavors. Store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
Carrot Cake With A Twist
Traditional carrot cake recipes call for grated carrots and layers of cream cheese frosting. This muffin recipe features carrots slowly roasted with maple syrup and a delicate blend of spices, including a hint of anise that adds an Italian twist to the muffins.
Swirling cream cheese into the batter and baking it together simplifies serving these treats while preserving the essence of traditional carrot cake. This recipe is healthy, fresh, and Easter Bunny approved! Your active older adult neighbors will commend your ingenuity at your 55+ community’s Easter potluck.
Spiced Carrot-Maple Muffins with Cream Cheese Swirl
Roasted Carrots
- 1 lb of carrots, washed and peeled
- 3 Tbsp cooking oil
- 3 Tbsp maple syrup
- 1 Tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ Tsp whole anise seed
- ¼ Tsp ground ginger
- ¼ Tsp ground cardamon
- ⅛ Tsp ground nutmeg
Muffin Batter
- 1 1/2 C all-purpose flour
- ½ C sugar
- 1 Tsp baking soda
- ½ Tsp baking powder
- ½ C walnut pieces (optional)
- ⅓ C cooking oil
- 2 Eggs
- 1 Tsp Vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Swirl
- 1 8-oz cream cheese block
- ½ C powdered sugar
- 1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven to 350°F
- Mix the oil, syrup, anise seed, cinnamon, cardamom, and nutmeg in a small bowl, then set aside. Place the carrots in a shallow baking dish and gently toss them with the oil mixture. Roast for 55 minutes or until they are soft. Remove from the oven and let cool to room temperature. Once cool, puree the carrots with a hand mixer until smooth, then set aside.
- Blend flour, sugar, baking soda, and baking powder in a large mixing bowl.
- In a small mixing bowl, combine oil, eggs, and vanilla extract. Then, add the wet mixture and carrot puree to the dry ingredients and set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, blend the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners. Fill each muffin cup halfway with batter, then add a spoonful of cream cheese mixture and gently stir with a toothpick. If needed, add more batter.
- Place in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
A Perfect Potluck Addition
As you prepare for the neighborhood Easter potluck, consider bringing something easy to make that complements the other offerings. This roasted carrot muffin recipe is sure to be a hit—it’s simple to prepare and delicious to eat. Adding a cream cheese swirl transforms a slice of carrot cake into a delightful finger food that’s easy to serve and enjoy!
