Mary Berry Carrot Cake Muffins

This easy carrot cake muffin recipe by Mary Berry is perfect for a quick, delicious snack or dessert. These muffins are filled with a creamy orange-flavored surprise and made with common ingredients like grated carrots and spices. Light, moist, and nutritious, they’re a simple way to enjoy a classic carrot cake flavor in muffin form.

Ingredients Needed

• 75g / 2½oz shredded bran cereal
• 225ml / 8fl oz milk
• Zest of 1 medium orange
• 120g / 4oz cream cheese
• 1 tbsp caster sugar (or superfine sugar)
• 3 large carrots, peeled
• 125g / 4½oz light muscovado sugar (or light brown sugar)
• 200g / 7oz self-raising flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1½ tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 2 free-range eggs
• 4 tbsp sunflower oil (or vegetable oil)

How To Make Carrot Cake Muffins

1. Soak Cereal: Combine the bran cereal and milk in a large mixing bowl and stir to combine. Let soak for 15 minutes.
2. Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 220°C / 425°F / Gas 7. Line a 12-hole muffin tray with paper muffin cases.
3. Prepare the zest and filling: Add half of the orange zest to the soaked cereal mixture. Mix the cream cheese, caster sugar, and the remaining orange zest in a separate small bowl to make the cream cheese filling.
4. Grate Carrots: Grate the carrots and measure out 150g / 5½oz grated carrot. Add to the large bowl (save any leftover carrots for salad).
5. Mix The Dry Ingredients: Add the light muscovado sugar to the cereal mixture. Sift in the self-raising flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and ginger but do not stir just yet.
6. Combine The Wet Ingredients: In a separate bowl, beat the eggs and sunflower oil together until combined. Pour this into the large bowl with the cereal mixture and stir everything together using a wooden spoon.
7. Fill Muffin Cases: Spoon a dollop of the carrot mixture into each muffin case, add a small spoonful of the cream cheese filling in the middle, then cover with more carrot mixture, dividing it evenly.
8. Bake: Place in the oven and bake for about 20 minutes until golden brown. Check for doneness by gently pressing the center of a muffin; it should spring back.
9. Cool: Remove the muffins from the oven and let the tray sit for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool.

Recipe Tips

• Soak the cereal fully: Make sure the bran cereal is fully soaked in the milk for the full 15 minutes. This will ensure the muffins stay moist and have the right texture.
• Don’t overfill with cream cheese: When adding the cream cheese filling, use a small spoonful. Too much filling can make the muffins collapse or not bake evenly.
• Grate the carrots finely: Grate the carrots finely to blend smoothly into the batter. Large chunks of carrot can affect the texture of the muffins.
• Mix gently: When combining the wet and dry ingredients, mix just until everything is combined. Overmixing can result in dense, tough muffins.
• Check doneness: To make sure the muffins are fully baked, gently press the center of the muffin. If it springs back, they are done. If not, bake for a few more minutes.

How To Store Leftovers?

• Refrigerate: First, let the leftover carrot cake muffins cool until they reach room temperature. Then, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
• Freeze: Allow the muffins to cool completely, then wrap each one in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer-safe bag. They can be frozen for up to 2 months. To serve, thaw the muffins in the fridge overnight before enjoying.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 muffin (about 60g)

• Calories: 110
• Total Fat: 2g
• Sodium: 160mg
• Potassium: 150mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 23g
• Dietary Fiber: 3g
• Sugars: 6g
• Protein: 3g

Try More Mary Berry Recipes:

• Mary Berry White Chocolate Mousse
• Mary Berry Bubble And Squeak
• Mary Berry Orange Polenta Cake
• Mary Berry Strawberry Muffins