Happy Spring! {Recipe: Healthy Carrot Cake Muffins with Greek Cream Cheese Icing}

By the time Easter rolls around we are treated out in our family. There are still remnants of Christmas and Valentine's candy around, and lots of family and friends have birthdays in March. When spring hits, we are all wanting to eat a bit healthier, especially with swimsuit season just around the corner! So, I always opt for a little bit healthier treats around for Easter. These muffins are perfect. They are sweet, but not too sweet, healthier than regular muffins, and cute to boot! 

Healthy Carrot Cake Muffins

Recipe is adapted from: https://www.melskitchencafe.com/healthy-applesauce-carrot-muffins-a-k-a-carrot-cake-muffins/

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon salt 

2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter or coconut oil

1/2 cup honey

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup unsweetened applesauce

3/4 cup finely shredded carrot (about 2-3 medium)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.

2 In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt. 

3. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Add the butter, honey, egg, vanilla, and applesauce. Stir until just combined and some flour spots are remaining. 

5. Fold in the shredded carrot, being careful to not over mix the muffin batter. 

6. Using a muffin scoop (about a 1/4 cup scoop), distribute the batter among the muffin cups. 

7. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted to the center of a muffin comes out clean. 

8. Remove muffins from oven to a wire rack and cool completely. 

Makes 12 muffins. 

These muffins are yummy on their own, but also delicious with the following Greek Cream Cheese Icing. 

Greek Cream Cheese Icing

I saw Greek cream cheese for the 1st time the other day at the store and thought I would try it for cream cheese icing. The icing turned out great! In fact it is the 1st time my husband ever said he loved an icing I made. Greek cream cheese has more protein and less fat than regular cream cheese. The texture is a little different from regular cream cheese, probably because of the added whey protein that is in it, but it is a good texture for icing. 

Ingredients:

4 ounces Greek cream cheese, at room temperature (Regular cream cheese would work too.)

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2-3/4 cup powdered sugar (depending on how sweet you want it), sifted

pinch of salt

3-4 tablespoons milk

Instructions

1. Cream together the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla. Add the powdered sugar,  then mix in 3 tablespoons of milk. If the icing is not the right consistency, add in more mild 1/2 tablespoon at a time. 

2. Spread on top of cooled muffins. 

Happy Easter!