Healthier Carrot Cake Cupcakes (paleo option, grain-free, gluten-free)

Moist, lightly sweetened with honey and even a little fluffy, these grain-free and gluten-free healthier carrot cake cupcakes (or muffins!) are the perfect Easter treat. With a paleo and dairy-free option.

First up, if you prefer a grain-containing healthier carrot cake recipe, I have you covered! This 100% whole grain carrot cake is the best carrot cake I’ve ever had. Hands down.

So now that we’ve got the healthier carrot cake cupcakes out of the way, we need some healthier cream cheese frosting! This is the same cream cheese frosting recipe that I used in my last post on carrot cake scones.

It uses just a little maple syrup as sweetener. I really thought cream cheese frosting without powdered sugar was impossible but this maple syrup version was just as good! It’s quite thick so if you want to thin it out, just add some milk.

Ingredients

For the carrot muffins:

• 1 1/4 cups (125 grams) blanched almond flour
• 2 tablespoons (16 grams) coconut flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1/3 cup (75 grams) refined coconut oil, melted (if you use unrefined coconut oil there may be some coconut taste to the muffins)
• 1/3 cup (106 grams) honey
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1/2 cup (50 grams) grated carrots

For the cream cheese frosting: (for paleo / dairy-free, use a half batch of this vegan "cream cheese" frosting)

• 2 ounces (56 grams) cream cheese
• 4 teaspoons maple syrup
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
• a dash of salt
• additional milk for thinning, if desired

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a muffin tin with 8 muffin liners.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together the dry ingredients (almond flour through nutmeg). Set this aside.
3. In a large bowl, mix together the eggs, oil, honey, and vanilla.
4. Add the dry mix to the wet mix just until combined and then gently fold in the grated carrots.
5. Divide the batter evenly among the liners and bake for 17-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
6. Let the muffins cool for 5 minutes in the pan and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely. Do not frost until completely cool!
7. For the cream cheese frosting, mix everything together until thoroughly combined. If it's too thick for your liking, add a teaspoon of milk at a time until it's your desired consistency.
8. Spread a thin layer on top of each cupcake or pipe it on. Do note that if you pipe it, you'll have some leftover if you pipe it as lightly as I did in the pictures.

Recipe Source:texanerin.com