Carrot Cake Quinoa Muffins with Frosting

These muffins are packed with good for you ingredients but then cream cheese frosting slathered on to of these babies disguises any shred of healthiness!

Full disclosure, I reshot and updated this recipe from 2014! It’s a good one!

You guys know that I love my quinoa breakfast bars (apple cinnamon, pumpkin apple, cranberry date, banana walnut) but I figured I’d get adventurous.  It paid off, these muffins are healthy enough to eat for breakfast and tasty enough to be dessert, the perfect breakfast in my eyes!

Plus I love carrot cake, hands down my favorite type of cake, it has so much going on to it.   Who thought up the idea to throw carrots,  sometimes pineapple, raisins and walnuts in a cake? 

 I don’t know who thought it up, but they are a genius! The cream cheese frosting totally compliments the heartiness and “bread-like” flavor of this classic combo making it the most amazing dessert EVER.  

Now I love my carrot cake and it was a delicious way to satisfy the craving for carrot cake in a healthy way!  Don’t worry I will still be eating real carrot cake on Easter, but this healthy version does the trick for spring!

 I’m not a naturally a baker, nor do I pretend to be one.  The first time my friend and I baked in grad school during our food service class we switched the yeast for the salt in the dough recipe that was supposed to feed 100+ people.  

Our dumb luck we added more yeast and ended up with really salty bread that people LOVED. Whew, got through that one!  

Anyway, needless to say, I’m scarred for life and I was so nervous to throw these in the muffin tin, I didn’t want to end up with a crumbly mess on my hands.  The gluten-free muffin gods were on my side though and they baked to perfection, so delicious!

 These muffins are an AWESOME, healthy (the muffin is good for your body, the cream cheese frosting is good for the soul) way to start your day, or a healthy dessert at the end of the night.  Made with minimal sugar and all whole grain ingredients so you can feel good indulging, which makes it that much better. 

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4.46 from 11 votes

Carrot Cake Quinoa Oat Muffins

These muffins are packed with good for you ingredients but then cream cheese frosting slathered on to of these babies disguises any shred of healthiness!

Servings: 12 muffins

Calories: 243kcal

Author: Kelli Shallal MPH RD

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp vanilla
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 4 ounces unsweetened applesauce
• 2 large carrots shredded
• ¼ nut butter
• ¼ cup honey
• 1 tablespoon chia seeds
• 1 cup old fashion oats gluten-free if desired
• 1 cup cooked quinoa
• ¼ cup walnuts
• ½ cup raisins
• 1 tsp baking soda

1 eggFrosting:

• 6 ounces 1/3 fat cream cheese I used a block
• 3 tablespoons greek yogurt
• 2 cups powdered sugar 

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350F
• Combine cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, salt, applesauce, carrots, nut butter, and honey in a large bowl.
• Next mix in the chia seeds, oats, and quinoa until well combined. Add in baking soda and egg and mix until just combined.
• Fold in walnuts and raisins.
• Spoon two heaping tablespoons into each muffin cup and bake for 15-17 minutes, or until gold brown on top.  Let cool completely.
• For the frosting:Mix all ingredients in a small bowl and place bowl in fridge for 15-20 minutes, then add to a zip lock bag.  Cut the corner off and pipe the frosting on top of each muffin. 

Notes

*subtract 1 gram of protein, 20 grams of carbs, and 2 grams of fat if you aren't doing the icing!   comes out to about 151 calories per muffin!

*If you want to make a healthier frosting use cinnamon laughing cow wedges or mix a little maple syrup with some whipped cream cheese 

Nutrition

Serving: 1muffin | Calories: 243kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 7g

Tried this recipe?I'd love to see what you made! Tag me @hungryhobbyRD or tag #hungryhobby if you try this recipe!

More healthy carrot cake recipes:

• Oat Flour Carrot Cake 
• Healthy Carrot Cake
• Carrot Cake Greek Yogurt Pancakes
• Carrot Cake Smoothie Bowl 
• Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal

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