Description
These Carrot Orange Muffins are moist, fluffy, and packed with fresh citrus zest and grated carrots. Perfectly spiced with cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg, and topped with a luscious vegan cream cheese and orange glaze, these muffins offer a delightful vegan treat that’s both flavorful and satisfying. Ideal for breakfast, snacks, or a light dessert, they combine wholesome ingredients with vibrant orange notes and subtle sweetness.
Ingredients
Scale
Wet Ingredients
- 180 ml soy milk
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 200 g brown sugar (or coconut sugar)
- 2 tablespoons orange zest (freshly zested from 2 oranges)
- 60 ml orange juice (freshly juiced)
- 100 ml olive oil (or neutral oil like rapeseed or sunflower oil)
- 80 g vegan Greek-style yogurt (or vegan sour cream or thick coconut yogurt)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- 280 g all-purpose flour
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- â…” teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Other Ingredients
- 240 g carrots (freshly and finely grated)
- 80 g toasted shredded coconut
Glaze
- 50 g vegan cream cheese (room temperature)
- 1 teaspoon orange juice (freshly squeezed)
- 120 g powdered sugar
Instructions
- Prepare: Preheat your oven to fan-forced 190°C (375°F) or conventional 210°C (410°F). Line half of the cavities in the muffin tray with liners, filling every second cavity to promote high muffin tops. The recipe yields 10 large muffins; bake in two batches if necessary, letting the pan cool and the batter rest in the fridge between batches.
- Make vegan buttermilk: Combine soy milk and apple cider vinegar in a jug. Stir and let it sit for 5 minutes to curdle.
- Rub the zest into the sugar: Place brown sugar and orange zest in a large mixing bowl. Use your fingertips to rub the zest into the sugar until aromatic.
- Mix the wet ingredients: Add the vegan buttermilk, orange juice, olive oil, vegan yogurt, and vanilla extract to the zested sugar. Whisk everything together until combined.
- Mix the dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, sea salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Stir to combine evenly.
- Make the muffin batter: Add half of the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and gently fold until nearly combined. Then fold in the remaining dry ingredients along with the grated carrots and toasted shredded coconut until no streaks of flour remain.
- Distribute the batter: Use an ice cream scoop or large spoon to evenly distribute batter into the lined muffin cavities.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven at fan-forced 190°C/375°F (or conventional 210°C/410°F) for 5 minutes. Then reduce the temperature to fan-forced 170°C/340°F (or conventional 190°C/375°F) and bake for a further 15 minutes.
- Check doneness and cool: Test muffins by inserting a toothpick or knife; it should come out almost clean with a few crumbs. Allow muffins to cool in the tray for 5 minutes, then transfer them carefully to a cooling rack for at least 30 minutes.
- Make the glaze: Whisk vegan cream cheese and orange juice until smooth. Gradually whisk in powdered sugar until the glaze reaches desired consistency. Drizzle or spread over cooled muffins.
- Storage: Store muffins with glaze in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or without glaze for 5 days. Refrigerate for up to a week; allow to sit at room temperature for an hour before serving. Muffins can also be frozen in airtight containers and thawed for a few hours before eating.
Notes
- Note 1: Soy milk and apple cider vinegar create a vegan buttermilk substitute, essential for muffin texture.
- Note 2: Freshly zest and juice the oranges to maximize bright citrus flavor in both the batter and glaze.
- Note 3: Toast shredded coconut beforehand to enhance its nuttiness and add texture to the muffins.
