Carrot and Orange Muffins with Frosting – Healthy, Toddler-Friendly & Family-Approved
Looking for a healthy and delicious muffin recipe for toddlers and the whole family? These carrot and orange muffins are naturally sweet, moist, packed with vitamins, and topped with a light, creamy frosting. For younger toddlers or babies, you can even use baby purees in the batter or as a topping to make them extra soft and nutritious. Perfect for breakfast, snacks, lunchboxes, or even a casual dessert!
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups (180 g) all-purpose flour (or whole wheat flour for extra fiber)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cinnamon (optional)
- Pinch of salt
- 2 medium carrots, finely grated (about 1 cup)
- Zest of 1 orange
- Juice of 1 orange (about ½ cup)
- 2 large eggs (or flax eggs for egg-free option)
- ⅓ cup (70 g) mild oil (sunflower, olive, or melted coconut)
- ⅓ cup (60 g) honey, maple syrup, or brown sugar
- ½ cup (120 g) plain yogurt or applesauce
- ½ cup (120 g) cream cheese, softened (or dairy-free cream cheese)
- 2–3 tbsp powdered sugar or maple syrup
- 1 tsp orange zest
- 1–2 tsp orange juice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and line a 12-cup muffin tray with paper liners.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
- Mix wet ingredients: In another bowl, whisk eggs, oil, sweetener, yogurt (or puree), orange juice, and zest until smooth.
- Add carrots: Stir grated carrots into the wet mixture.
- Combine: Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Optional mix-ins: Gently fold in raisins, nuts, or desiccated coconut.
- Bake: Divide batter evenly among muffin cups and bake for 18–22 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool: Allow muffins to cool completely before frosting or topping with puree.
- Beat cream cheese until smooth.
- Add powdered sugar or maple syrup, orange zest, and 1 tsp orange juice. Mix until creamy.
- Adjust consistency with more orange juice if needed – it should be thick but spreadable.
- Spread frosting on top of cooled muffins.
Notes
Please note: The nutritional information provided is an estimate, calculated using an online nutrition calculator.