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carrot cake muffins frosted and decorated with walnuts close up.
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4.50 from 12 votes

Nigella's Carrot Cake Muffins

Nigella's amazing carrot cake cupcakes or muffins with cream cheese frosting and walnuts; these easy muffins are a decadent delight perfect for Easter or another special day.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Course: Muffins and Cupcakes
Cuisine: American
Servings: 12 muffins
Calories: 400kcal
Author: Adina

Ingredients

Carrot cake muffins:

  • ½ cup light brown sugar
  • ¾ cup sunflower oil Note 1
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • ¾ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • pinch of salt
  • zest of ½ lemon
  • zest of ½ orange
  • 2 medium carrots total weight about 5.5 oz/150 g
  • ½ cup chopped walnuts Note 2

Cream cheese frosting:

  • ½ cup cream cheese
  • 1 ⅔ cup icing sugar sifted
  • 1 teaspoon lime or lemon juice
  • 12 walnut halves Note 2

Instructions

Carrot cake muffins:

  • Preheat the oven to 200°C/ 400°F. Line the muffin tin with paper liners.
  • Grate the carrots finely (fine side of a hand grater or just a few pulses in a food processor fitted with grate setting, don't let the carrots become juicy).
    2 medium carrots
  • Chop the walnuts.
    ½ cup chopped walnuts
  • Combine the sugar and oil with the handheld mixer. Add the eggs one at a time and mix shortly until creamy.
    ½ cup light brown sugar + ¾ cup sunflower oil + 2 large eggs
  • Mix the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, lemon, and orange zest. Add to the egg mixture and then fold in the carrots and the chopped walnuts.
    1 ½ cup all-purpose flour + ¾ teaspoon baking soda + 1 teaspoon cinnamon + pinch of salt + zest of ½ lemon + zest of ½ orange
  • Bake carrot cake muffins: Spoon the mixture into the prepared muffin tin. Bake for 20 minutes.
  • Cool: Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.

Cream cheese frosting:

  • Beat the cream cheese until smooth, which will take a few seconds.
    ½ cup cream cheese
  • Beat in the sifted icing sugar and add the lime or lemon juice.
    1 ⅔ cup icing sugar + 1 teaspoon lime or lemon juice
  • Spread the frosting on the cupcakes using a butter knife.
  • Top: Place half a walnut on top.
    12 walnut halves

Notes

  1. Oil: I used a very mild sunflower oil. Make sure that the oil is rather neutral in taste; otherwise, you will definitely be able to taste it, and that is not the flavor you are looking for in a cake. Canola oil is perfect, too.
  2. Nuts: You can replace the walnuts with pecans.

Nutrition

Serving: 1muffin | Calories: 400kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 18g | Cholesterol: 41mg | Sodium: 142mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 33g