Carrot Cake Zucchini Muffins
Carrot Cake Zucchini Muffins are grain-free, keto, paleo, and low-carb muffins with a vanilla cream cheese frosting (with dairy free option).
Carrot Cake Zucchini Muffins are a grain free, low carb and paleo treat that has a little grated carrot, and grated zucchini. These are frosted with a lovely creamy vanilla frosting. I can’t get enough of these healthy carrot cake-flavored muffins!
These lovely little carrot cake treats had my family fighting over them, and demanding that I make another dozen.
Even one family member was trying to hide them and keep a watchful count of them. Then there was the “Mom, she ate more than me, and how many did you eat Mom?” I hate answering that question! I baked them, so they should just be grateful I share the spoils.
There is far too much competitive food hoarding going on at my house. Please share your best family food hoarding or food fighting stories with us in the comment section.
Carrot Cake Zucchini Muffins:
Muffin Ingredients:
- 6 tbsp coconut flour, like this one
- ⅓ cup sweetener of choice: erythritol for low carb (I used Swerve), or coconut sugar for paleo
- 1 tbsp golden flax meal * optional
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder, this brand is grain free
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ⅓ cup grated carrot
- ½ cup grated zucchini
- 3 eggs
- ¼ cup unsweetened almond milk or coconut milk
- 2 tablespoon butter, or coconut oil, melted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar
Cream Cheese Frosting (with dairy free option):
- 4 ounces cream cheese (½ cup) softened, or ½ cup palm shortening for paleo (dairy free) version
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Sweetener of choice: 2 ½ tbsp erythritol, or ½ tsp liquid stevia for low carb , or 2 ½ tablespoon honey for paleo version
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 F and grease or line a muffin pan.
- In a large mixing bowl combine: 6 tablespoon coconut flour, ⅓ cup sweetener of choice, 1 tablespoon golden flax meal * optional, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder, and ¼ teaspoon baking soda. Mix together thoroughly. Set aside.
- In a separate large mixing bowl combine: 3 eggs, ⅓ cup grated carrot, ½ cup grated zucchini, ¼ cup unsweetened almond milk or coconut milk, 2 tablespoon butter or coconut oil, melted, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and ½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar. Mix together thoroughly.
- Add wet egg mixture to dry coconut flour mixture. Mix together thoroughly.
- spoon the muffin batter into muffin cups filling ⅔ of each cup.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until muffins are browning, and a toothpick comes out of the center clean.Remove from oven and let muffins cool completely
- Add all the frosting ingredients to a large mixing bowl with an electric beater or using a stand mixer. Beat frosting until combined and creamy.
- Frost muffins and serve.
Nutritional Data for Low Carb Version (using Swerve sweetener and cream cheese frosting): Servings: 12 muffins, Serving Size: 1 muffin, Cal: 92, Carbs: 4 g, Net Carbs: 2 g, Fiber: 2 g, Fat: 7 g, Protein: 3 g, Sugars: 1 g, Sodium: 113 mg.
Nutritional Data for Paleo Version (using dairy free frosting and coconut sugar sweetener): Servings: 12, Serving Size: 1 muffin, Cal: 161, Carbs: 11 g, Net Carbs: 9 g, Fat: 11 g, Fiber: 2 g, Protein: 2.5 g, Sugars: 9 g, Sodium: 80 mg.
*all nutritional data are estimates based on the products I used*
Printable Recipe Card Below:
Carrot Cake Zucchini Muffins
Ingredients
- MUFFIN INGREDIENTS:
- 6 tablespoon coconut flour
- ⅓ cup sweetener of choice: erythritol for low carb or coconut sugar for paleo
- 1 tablespoon golden flax meal * optional
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ⅓ cup grated carrot
- ½ cup grated zucchini
- 3 eggs
- ¼ cup unsweetened almond milk or coconut milk
- 2 tablespoon butter or coconut oil, melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- FROSTING:
- 4 ounces cream cheese or ½ cup palm shortening for paleo (dairy free) version.
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2½ tablespoon Sweetener of choice: 2 ½ tablespoon erythritol or ½ teaspoon liquid stevia for low carb , or 2½ tablespoon honey for paleo version.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F and grease or line a muffin pan.
- In a large mixing bowl combine: 6 tablespoon coconut flour, ⅓ cup sweetener of choice, 1 tablespoon golden flax meal * optional, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder, and ¼ teaspoon baking soda. Mix together thoroughly. Set aside.
- In a separate large mixing bowl combine: 3 eggs, ⅓ cup grated carrot, ½ cup grated zucchini, ¼ cup unsweetened almond milk or coconut milk, 2 tablespoon butter, or coconut oil, melted, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and ½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar. Mix together thoroughly.
- Add wet egg mixture to dry coconut flour mixture. Mix together thoroughly.
- spoon the muffin batter into muffin cups filling ⅔ of each cup.
- Bake for 25 to 30 mins, or until muffins are browning, and a toothpick comes out of the center clean.Remove from oven and let muffins cool completely
- Add all the frosting ingredients to a large mixing bowl with an electric beater or using a stand mixer. Beat frosting until combined and creamy.
- Frost muffins and serve.
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Notes
Nutrition
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Susie
Very happily surprised.New they were delicious when my husbands first bite was -hmm good 😊
Stacey
Thank you, Susie, for trying the recipe and for taking the time to leave a kind comment 🙂
Rebecca
I still feel guilty eating these because they taste SO good, they have to be bad right? WRONG! They are incredible! I split the batter into 6 large muffin cups and they were great! Instead of frosting I topped them with shredded coconut. I'm already ready to make another batch!
Stacey
Rebecca, thank you for trying the recipe, and for your kind words & great tips. I like the coconut idea!
Sandy
Hi! - could I use heavy cream or half and half instead of the almond or coconut milk? I am making this for a friend and don't usually keep the alternate milks in the house. Thanks!
Stacey
Yes, you can use heavy cream or half and half.
Lissa
I would love to make this recipe tonight but I don't have any zucchini. Do you think I could just add more carrots instead of the zucchini? Would it affect the texture a lot? Thanks!
Stacey
Lissa, yes you can.
Alisa
I see that this recipe calls for 1/3 cup sweetener. Would Stevia work? I don’t have Swerve. Thanks in advance for your help!
Stacey
A granular stevia blend might work, but you will need to use a little less than the suggested sweetener. Check the sweetener brands conversion table. Swerve has a 1:1 ratio with regular sugar.
Alisha
I'm wondering if you have tried it in a cake pan mold? I have a super cute new silicone Easter Bunny pan and on paper this recipe looks perfect.
Stacey
I have not, but I would think it would work depending on how big the cake pan is. May need to double the recipe.
Alisha Mills
Well, somehow I read carrot cake and didn't see muffin. I made the muffins in the pan, frosted the bunny like a cake and the kids are going to think we are having desert for breakfast. For future readers, I would not recommend making this delicious recipe in a cake pan.
Laura
Would it still work out okay if I swapped the chia seed and water mixture for the eggs? I'm hoping, these look great!
Stacey
I'm not entirely sure, as most of my egg replacement experiments have not turned out so well.
Melissa
I just made these and they are delicious! I love carrot cake and have been trying to find a yummy, easy low carb recipe.
I've already shared it with my mother in law. Thanks for sharing Stacey!
Stacey
Awe, thank you, Melissa!
Maria
My son absolutely loved them! I had them as a surprise in his lunch box and was soooo happy!!! ThNk you! I love to see his smile 🙂
Stacey
Awe, thank you so much Maria. I am so glad your sweet little guy enjoyed them 🙂
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Stacey, I just wanted to let you know I featured this recipe in my Low Carb Gluten-free Zucchini Recipes roundup. I hope you'll get some visits coming your way!
Stacey
Maya, thanks that is great. Next time I do a roundup I will return the favor!
Linda Case
Yummm! Just made these...I love them.
Stacey
Linda, Thank you for trying the recipe and taking the time to leave a nice comment. That made my day 🙂
Kelly
Love carrot cake and how i can actually have it now.
Stacey
Awe thank you Kelly 🙂 You're always so super sweet!
Kariane
How about suggesting that you'll help them learn to make a batch themselves? I guess that suggestion working is depending on the ages of your kids, but if they're old enough to count and compare, they're probably old enough to at least help cook. 😉
Stacey
kariane, great idea! They can both cook a little but have not attempted much baking. It will a messy adventure for sure!
Robert
The recipe looked great I had to make. I added a couple others things to it, chai seed and chopped pecans. They’re in the oven now. Smelling great
Tracy
I can't wait to try these! I have to say of zucchini from my garden and ha e been looking for recipes to use them. These look great and I have all the I gradients already!
Stacey
Tracy, thank you for trying the recipe. I wish I had a veggie garden 🙂