Muffin or cupcake??? You decide. These Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Carrot Cake Cupcakes are delicious on their own or topped with chocolate cream cheese frosting for a sweet dessert.
I don’t even know ya’ll! I don’t even know where to begin with these. First off, WHAT ARE THEY???
I had every intention of making a muffin. Just a nice and simple carrot cake muffin. I thought I could make them slightly (major emphasis on “slightly”) healthy by adding two whole cups of shredded carrots and a cup of shredded apple. Plus, I used mostly whole grain flours.
And then I tasted the batter and it was DELICIOUS. Downright dunk your face in delicious. And then I thought, “Hmmm, I was going to add dried cherries and toasted pecans. But let’s be honest, my kids will complain and these are too darn good to waste…”
Dilemma solved because my super smart brain had an even better idea for mix-ins: dark chocolate morsels.
Okay, now we’re talking. There will be no wasting of these muffins cupcakes bite sized nuggets of fall flavored gloriousness!
So here we are. An innocent little muffin turned sinful with dark chocolate morsels. Okay, I’m liking this.
It gets better.
We invited some friends over for dinner and I was feeling lazy. I didn’t want to make dessert on top of making dinner.
“Hmmm,” I thought again. You see, there I go causing trouble by thinking again.
But of course, nothing can stop my super power noggin’ when it’s on a roll. And what did my thinker think up?
Chocolate cream cheese frosting.
Yes, these muffins turned into full blown cupcakes in the blink of an eyeball. Mainly because powder sugar dust was blowing up in my face, but you get the point.
So again, WHAT ARE THESE???!
Answer: I don’t know, and I don’t care as long as one goes in my belly.
Seriously, these Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Carrot Cake Cupcakes WILL BE your go to cupcake/muffin recipe this holiday season.
They are moist; deal with the word people.
They are tender.
They are cinnamon-y, nutmeg-y, allspice-y delightful.
They have chocolate, inside and on top. DUH, no brainer delicious right there.
They are filled with soft pieces of carrot and apple.
They are bite sized beauties.
I had to laugh after one of our friends’ daughters finished her cupcake in obvious approval and her mom exclaimed, “Ellie, those had carrots in them!”
Sneaky, sneaky.
With all the amazing flavors partying up in that mini cupcake, she had no idea she was also eating a handful of grated carrots. But let’s face it, carrots basically turn into taste bud gold when baked into a carrot cake. Add the flavors of aromatic pure vanilla extract and light brown sugar, and there is absolutely NO RESISTANCE.
So, your choice. Bake up these babies to be muffins with dried cherries and pecans like I planned, or add them to the dessert menu of your next dinner party with a heaping handful of dark chocolate chips and your favorite cream cheese frosting. Either way, you and your guests will be pleased.
Oh, and a great big fat GOOD LUCK to all of you as we stampede head first, helmets locked tight, into the beginning of this holiday season. Have mercy on us all!!!
Would you eat these as cupcakes or muffins?
- 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, melted
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 cups finely shredded carrots
- 1 medium sized apple, finely grated (about 1 cup)
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- ½ tablespoon vanilla
- ½ tablespoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- ½ cup oat flour
- ½ cup buckwheat flour
- ½ cup potato starch
- ⅓ cup coconut flour
- ¼ cup tapioca starch
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon xanthan gum
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ tablespoon baking powder
- ½-2/3 cup chocolate chips, depending on taste
- 1 recipe chocolate cream cheese frosting, or other desired frosting.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line mini muffin tins* with paper liners. Set aside.
- In a microwave safe bowl, melt butter on high for about 1 minute. Stir to continue melting. Pour into a large mixing bowl or stand mixer.
- Grate carrots and apple and pour into a small mixing bowl. Add lemon juice, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. Stir to coat.
- In another smaller mixing bowl, sift together oat flour, buckwheat flour, potato starch, coconut flour, tapioca starch, salt, xanthan gum, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.
- Add granulated sugar and brown sugar to melted butter and beat on high speed until smooth. Add eggs and beat on low until smooth. Add flour mixture and mix on low until incorporated. Stir in apple carrot mixture until evenly distributed. Fold in chocolate chips. Allow to sit for 5 minutes to absorb moisture.
- Fill muffin tins ⅔ way full and bake at 350 degrees for 12-14 minutes or until tops of muffins spring back at the touch of a finger. Allow to cool in pan for 3-5 minutes. Remove and let continue cooling on cooling racks.
- If frosting, cool completely before spreading with frosting.
- Store muffins in loosely covered container for up to 3 days or in an airtight container in freezer for up to three months.
