Cream Cheese Filled Carrot Muffins

Breakfast at our house is a cherished meal...never to be skipped.   Most days we eat oatmeal or cereal, which while being quick and easy is also totally  forgettable.  To remedy the forgotten breakfasts, at least a couple times a week we try to have something more substantial.  Something like these muffins.  The cream cheese filling and streusel topping make these delicious muffins a breakfast to be remembered.    They were delicious and made with whole wheat flour and carrots could probably be called wholesome as well.  Enjoy! 

Recipe Source: Adapted from  What's Cookin' Chicago?

 Click here for printable recipe. 

Carrot & Cream Cheese Muffins

The ingredients:


Carrot Muffins:
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour ( I used white whole wheat flour)

1-1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp.  salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
2/3 cup vegetable oil
1-1/2 cups shredded carrots
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup raisins, soaked in hot water for 10 minutes (I omitted)

Cream Cheese Filling:

4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 egg yolk
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Streusel Topping:

1-1/2 Tbs. granulated sugar
1-1/2 Tbs. dark brown sugar
pinch salt
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2-1/2 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted


Directions:  Preheat oven to 350°. Prepare your muffin tins by greasing with cooking spray or using paper liners.  Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and sugar; set aside.

In separate bowl, beat the eggs and oil together until lightened. Stir in the carrots, walnuts and raisins.
In another bowl, cream together the cream cheese filling ingredients; set aside.

Fold the dry muffin ingredients into the wet egg/oil mixture and stir until just combined.

**NOTE:  The original recipe called for putting the cream cheese filling on top.  I thought the flavor of the filling stood out more with it on top, but it definitely looked prettier with the filling in the middle....you decide.

Filling in the middle:  Fill each muffin cup about 1/4 full. Add a generous teaspoon of the cream cheese filling to each muffin cup, then top with batter to make each muffin cup about 3/4 full.
OR
Filling on the top:  fill each muffin cup about 3/4 full, then add a generous teaspoon of the cream cheese filling to the top. 


Combine all the dry streusel ingredients in small bowl. Drizzle with the warm, melted unsalted butter and toss with fork until evenly moistened and mixture forms large chunks with some pea-sized pieces throughout. Before baking, top the filled muffin cups with the streusel topping.

Bake about 20-25 minutes*, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake part comes out clean.

*If making standard sized muffins, bake for 17-20 minutes.
*If making jumbo sized muffins, bake for 23-25 minutes.


Enjoy! 


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