Carrot Cheesecake Muffins

I’ve had this recipe in my to try out file for a very long time and  am now finally getting around to putting it to the test with hopes of  passing it over to my tried and true file.

These Carrot Cheesecake muffins are actually the coming together of two separate recipes that I suspected had a good chance of becoming a delicious combination.

I recently purchased a ten pound bag of freshly harvested carrots, definitely a few too many to use up before loosing their freshness.  I shared them with my daughter and daughter-in-law who quickly put them to good use though taking two different routes. One batch found its way into a steaming carrot soup and the other batch into fragrant carrot bread.

I’ve been a little slower using up my portion of carrots but hope to find a few good ways of enjoying them soon.  Baking these Carrot Cheesecake Muffins was definitely a good start and this recipe has now passed into a more permanent file.

If you enjoy carrot cake with cream cheese frosting you will find these muffins absolutely delicious and definitely not as sweet as the cake and icing, which can be a good thing. The addition of finely grated orange zest to the cream cheese filling should not be omitted as it adds a level of flavour that I would not have imagined.

Since I had never tasted these muffins before and no other taste testers were in sight I volunteered to taste and make that all important executive decision to post the recipe.

After eating the first muffin I found it necessary to indulge in another to make absolutely sure that this was a recipe worth passing along. Risking the possibility of enjoying a third  I just knew that the right decision had been made and decided to go ahead and post the recipe leaving some muffins for the others to enjoy.

Carrot Cheesecake Muffins

Cheesecake Filling
125 gr. cream cheese (1/2 of a 250 package)
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest

Muffin Batter
2 eggs
2/3 cup brown sugar (packed)
1/2 cup vegetable or corn oil
1/4 cup milk
1 1/2 cups grated carrots
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon

1. Line muffin tins with paper liners or grease tins.
2. Bring cream cheese to room temperature.
3. Add the sugar to cream cheese and beat until well combined.
4. Stir in orange zest and set aside.
5. Into a bowl sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.
6. Place eggs,oil, milk and brown sugar into a blender and blend until light.
7. Add the grated carrots and pulse blender 2 to 3 times to incorporate carrots (do not blend carrots in.)
8. Make a well in the dry ingredients and add wet ingredients.
9. Stir just until mixed (do not over mix.)
10. Spoon half of the batter into each muffin well , distribute filling evenly in the middle of each batter filled well then cover evenly with remaining batter.
11. Bake in a preheated 400 degree F oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden.
12. Remove muffins from pan and place on cooling rack to cool. 

 








Notes, Tips and Suggestions

• These muffins are also delicious without cheesecake filling. 
• Chopped walnuts make a good addition if omitting filling.
• As always it's very important not to over mix the batter.
• Muffins freeze very well.