Gluten-Free + Vegan Carrot Cake Muffins

Share This

Gluten-Free + Vegan Carrot Cake Muffins

These delicious little treats were the second batch of muffins I made after the first batch ended up too soggy. They were very tasty, but I think that the carrot shreds have more water content than I gave them credit for, so the second time around I decided to add in some finely shredded coconut, since coconut is known to soak up moisture in recipes. You could also give coconut flour a try, but I am not sure if you would want the full 1/2 cup. Experiment.

The coconut flavor is subtle but it really compliments the rest of the flavors in this muffin quite nicely. The walnuts and golden raisins are both optional, but I would say unless you hate them, you should add them in. Their addition to this muffin reminds me of a slice of traditional carrot cake. These muffins are subtly sweet so they would be perfect for breakfast, dessert or even a little snack. Hubby was of course begging for some sort of cream cheese frosting.

I love how rustic these muffins ended up looking after baking, that is why I ended up taking off the papers before I photographed them. The outside of each muffin had such a beautiful toasted, golden brown hue with specs of the shreds of carrots shining through.

Normally when I am writing up a recipe or editing photos, I still have leftovers in the kitchen, so after I am done staring at the photos forever and craving another taste of whatever it is, I head downstairs and grab a little bite. Sadly, I made these muffins about 10 days ago, but we’ve been so busy getting ready for our pop-up shop this past weekend that I haven’t had a moment to edit the photos and write this up. So, now I think I am going to have to make another batch of these ASAP, I want them that badly.

Gluten-Free + Vegan Carrot Cake Muffins
[print_this]Gluten-Free + Vegan Carrot Cake Muffins
Makes approximately 6 large muffins

2 flaxseed eggs (or you could also just use two large eggs):
2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
6 tablespoons hot water

2 cups blanched almond flour*
1/2 cup unsweetened finely shredded coconut
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup maple syrup (or honey)
1/4 cup olive oil (melted coconut oil or melted ghee)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup shredded carrot
1/4 cup walnuts, roughly chopped (optional)
1/4 cup golden raisins (optional)

Preheat oven to 350˚F. Line a muffin tin with paper liners.

In a small bowl, whisk together the ground flaxseeds and water, set aside and allow to get thick and gelatinous.

In a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, baking soda, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon. Add in the shredded coconut, stir to combine.

In a separate bowl, combine the maple syrup (or honey), vanilla, oil and flax seed eggs and whisk until well combined.

Add the dry mixture to the wet, stirring until combined. Carefully fold in the carrots, walnuts and raisins.

Spoon the batter into the muffin tin, filling each cup to the top if you want a nice muffin dome. Bake for approximately 25 minutes or until the tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool the muffin pan on a wire rack for five minutes. Gently pop the muffins out to continue cooling on the rack (don’t cool them longer than 5 minutes in the hot pan they’ll definitely get soggy). Enjoy a muffin after they have cooled 10 minutes, you know you want to.

I find storing muffins covered tightly in the refrigerator or freezer to be the best, especially in the heat of summer. Just pop one out as you want it, heat slightly in the microwave if you want to take the chill off and go.

*NOTE: Something I have learned from baking on my own and from reading Elana’s Pantry, is that not all almond flour (or meal) is created equal. Bob’s Red Mill makes an almond flour, though easy to find, that doesn’t seem to react quite the same as other almond flours. It doesn’t seem to rise as much and it just seems to leave recipes flat. On Elana’s recommendation I now buy Honeyville brand almond flour in a 5-lb bag from their website. [/print_this]

 

Did you make this recipe - or any others from the TY archives?

Share your photos on Instagram, tag @bethmanosbrickey and include the hashtag #tastyyummies

19 Responses

  1. Nidia Lopez says:

    making this also !! i am going to be one cooking/baking machine this weekend! this week = exam slave, come Friday it’ll be time for ME and my fav thing to do: cook, bake, EAT!!

  2. Amber says:

    Carrot cake is my absolute favorite. I make a similar version, but never thought about adding maple syrup. I bet it’s just amazing!

    Thank you for sharing your recipe on AFW! Be sure to check back next week for reader favorites and hostess picks.

    Be Well,
    –AFW Hostesses

  3. lysa says:

    wow. they look so yummy ! I will make these and eat them as a school snack 🙂 Thank you !!

  4. elena says:

    I loved it!

  5. […] breakfast with these delicious, to-live-for Gingered Grapefruit Doughnuts or opt for these rustic Carrot Cake Muffins and you’ll start your morning with a smile. Gluten free never tasted so […]

  6. Lori says:

    This is one of the best recipes I have tried, but the last batch I made is burning my throat and leaving a strange after taste especially if I try to eat something else. The only thing I did differently is that I used safflower oil this time along with carrot pulp from juicing instead of shredded carrot. Could the safflower oil be the cause? This is one of my faves so I really want to figure out why and not do it again!

    • tastyyummies says:

      Hi Lori.
      Gosh I have no clue why that would happen. Did you possibly put in too much nutmeg or cinnamon? Is there a chance something in there could have been spoiled? Flaxseeds, especially when preground are very susceptible to going rancid, maybe that is it? I don’t typically use safflower oil, but I cannot understand why that might happen.
      Sorry I cannot give you more of a definitive answer. I wish I knew. I do hope you will try them again and that they turn out better next time for you.
      Thanks for reading!

      • Lori says:

        I grind my own flax seed meal and keep it in the fridge along with the seeds, but they were old and at the end of the bag so you might be on to something. I will definitely keep making them as they are one of my favorite recipes I have tried since going vegan and gluten free. Thanks!

  7. Lani says:

    Great recipe! Can not wait to try this with my Carrot pulp from my juicer! 🙂 The carrot will not have very much water content so i think i am going to skip the coconut. Fantastic blog!

  8. Jillian says:

    This looks great! I’m excited to try it for myself, but my son is not only allergic to wheat/eggs/dairy, but also to almonds (lame) so I’m wondering if I could try another type of gluten-free flour in its place for him….perhaps?

    • tastyyummies says:

      Usually nut flours can only be replaced by other nut or seed flowers, so if he is only allergic to almonds try hazelnut or pecan flours. If it is all nuts, try sunflower seed flour. Hope that helps.

  9. […] RECIPE HERE  […]

  10. […] Gluten-Free Carrot Cake Muffins […]

  11. Melissa says:

    Hello!! I cannot wait to try this recipe, it sounds amazing! I wanted to know however, should I be using ground flaxseed, or ground flaxseed meal..or are they considered the same thing?! Something that I am not used to baking with just yet! Thank you!!

  12. […] Cake Muffins with Melting Coconut-Almond IcingAdapted from Beth’s recipe at Tasty YummiesMakes 12 […]

  13. […] Carrot Cake Muffins from Tasty Yummies ~ gluten free, grain free, dairy free, with egg-free vegan […]

  14. Ania says:

    I would like to try these but I’ve been using Swerve (erythritol or xylitol) as sweeteners in my baking lately. They are not in liquid but in granular or powdered form. I wonder if using them would change the texture of this recipe. Do you think the maple syrup or honey adds something other than sweetness? Do you think I can sub a different powdered sweetener instead?

  15. Taylor says:

    Can whole wheat flour be substituted for the almond flour?

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

STILL HUNGRY FOR MORE?

Sign up for the Tasty Yummies email list and receive notifications when new posts go live, plus get you’ll get exclusive offers, downloads, recipes and more!

DISCLAIMER: This website is written and produced for informational and educational purposes only. Statements within this site have not been approved by the FDA. Content should not be considered a substitute for professional medical expertise. The reader assumes full responsibility for consulting a qualified health professional before starting a new diet or health program. Please seek professional help regarding any health conditions or concerns. The writer(s) and publisher(s) of this site are not responsible for adverse reactions, effects, or consequences resulting from the use of any recipes or suggestions herein or procedures undertaken hereafter.