Carrot Cake Muffins with Brown Butter Frosting

These moist Carrot Cake Muffins with Brown Butter Frosting are fluffy and sweet. With hints of caramel and cinnamon, what makes these muffins special is the nutty brown butter added to the batter and frosting for even more flavour!

Carrot cake (also known as passion cake in the U.K.) is a spring dessert we look forward to as soon as the season changes. But these Carrot Cake Muffins are not your traditional carrot cake muffins.

Light and fluffy with flecks of orange and a subtle carrot taste, the secret ingredient in this recipe is the addition of brown butter in the frosting AND the batter!

Brown butter is an easy way to infuse flavor into any recipe that calls for butter. It’s made quickly by heating butter on the stove until the milk solids caramelize and the colour changes from bright yellow to a deep golden brown. The result is a nutty and caramel aroma. While you can skip this step (we highly recommend you don’t), if you’re short on time you can use room temperature butter or make the brown butter the day before and leave it on the counter until ready to use. 

These Carrot Cake Muffins with Brown Butter Frosting are the perfect spring dessert for Easter or Mother’s Day! Pair them with our favourite spring brunch recipes like Polonaise Asparagus Salad with Prosciutto, Broccoli and Cheese Quiche with Feta & Lemon, or our Breakfast Strata with Mushroom and Leeks, or enjoy them on their own as a snack with a tall glass of milk.

Ingredients

• Carrots
• All-purpose flour
• Ground Cinnamon
• Baking Soda
• Baking Powder
• Salt
• Salted Butter
• Brown Sugar
• Icing Sugar
• Eggs
• Whole Milk
• Vanilla Extract
• Walnuts

See the recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

Melt butter over medium heat in a skillet for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until the butter smells nutty and the milk solids turn deep brown. Transfer to a bowl and cool to room temperature.

Preheat your oven to 350°F.

Combine flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a small mixing bowl.

Beat brown butter with brown sugar on high speed for 2 minutes, until light and fluffy.

Switch to low speed and slowly add the flour. Once the batter has combined, fold in the grated carrot with a spatula.

Scoop the batter into 12 muffin liners.

Bake for 23-25 minutes, until a knife inserted in the center of the muffins, comes out clean.

Cool for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool to room temperature.

For the icing, add icing sugar, brown butter, milk, and vanilla to the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk on high for 2-3 minutes, until the frosting is smooth and creamy.

Spread the icing over each muffin, as desired, using a spatula or piping bag.

Finish with a sprinkling of finely chopped walnuts.

Hint: Use a pastry bag with a plain tip for the perfect icing swirl. Start about a half inch in on the muffin so you can still see the base.

Substitutions and Additions

• Brown Butter - if you are short on time you can use regular butter, softened to room temperature, for both the muffins and the icing. It will affect the flavour, making the muffins and icing a little more classic.
• Flour - whole wheat flour can be used at the same ratio or 1-to-1 gluten-free baking flour.
• Additions - for those who enjoy additional flavours and textures, 1 cup of chopped pineapple chunks, walnuts, or raisins can be folded into the batter after the carrots are mixed in.

Storage

We love the texture that the muffins get after being left out, uncovered, at room temperature, for a day or two. Any muffins remaining beyond that can be stored in a large food storage container, and placed in the fridge, for up to 1 week.

FAQ

Related

Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:

Oat Flour Pancakes

Philip Lago & Mystique Mattai

Crispy on the outside and airy on the inside, these Oat Flour Pancakes are easy to make with simple ingredients guaranteed to be in your pantry. They’re so incredibly fluffy, you won’t even believe they’re gluten-free.

5 from 3 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Course Brunch, Dessert, food and drink

Cuisine Canadian, north american

Servings 4 servings

Calories 99

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

Muffins

• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 2 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups oat flour (or 2 ¼ rolled or quick oats)
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 pinch salt
• 2 tablespoon melted butter plus additional for cooking

Instructions

 

• If you do not have oat flour, start by making oat flour. Place 2 ¼ to 2 ½ cups of rolled or quick oats in a food processor or high-powered blender. Pulse for 30 seconds or until the oats resemble flour.
• Whisk together eggs, milk, maple syrup, and vanilla in a large bowl. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt, then stir until just combined. Set aside for a few minutes to allow the oats to absorb the wet ingredients.
• Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large frying pan or skillet. Slowly pour the butter into the batter while mixing.
• Return the pan to medium heat. Melt a teaspoon of butter and spoon the pancake batter into the pan to make the desired size of pancakes. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the edges begin to crisp and bubbles form in the batter. Flip and cook another 1 to 2 minutes until golden brown. Transfer to a plate and set near the stove to keep the pancakes warm. Repeat with remaining batter.
• Serve the pancakes immediately with your preferred pancake toppings. We like either yogurt or butter with a drizzle of maple syrup.

Video

https://youtu.be/hTnB35hImLM

Nutrition

Calories: 99kcalCarbohydrates: 13gProtein: 4gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 29mgSodium: 111mgPotassium: 94mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 102IUCalcium: 78mgIron: 1mg

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