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I’ve been having a moment with baked goods in muffin/cupcake form lately. First I made my Gluten Free Chocolate Beet Cupcakes, next I made my Grain Free Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins and now these Carrot Cake Banana Bread Muffins with Cinnamon Glaze. I just can’t seem to help myself. Spring time makes me want muffins! Honestly you could totally make this recipe into bread, just cook it a little longer. See, problem solved!
These muffins find us that the perfect time, when we need something cozy and comforting and warm – yet we want it to feel festive and spring like. The coziness comes from the act of baking, the measuring, the mixing all feels very homey and loving. Then we pop the muffins into a hot oven and allow them to do their thing. As they bake we begin to smell banana with hints of cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg and can’t help but feel right at home.
Guys, for the past few weeks it has been raining almost nonstop and when it’s not raining it’s just cloudy and no sun and BLAH! I mean I love spring and all the growth and the green that’s popping up and the rain is a big part of that. BUT 2 to 3 weeks of this weather has gotten to me – I am like 89% solar powered and can only take so much gloominess at one time. Can I go back to bed yet?! My point is even though I want so badly for the sun to come out it’s so much easier to embrace the rainy weather instead of resist it. Slow down, be crafty, read a book, bake these Carrot Cake Banana Bread Muffins with Cinnamon Glaze and allow the warming feels to sink in. Besides always remember that any gloomy weather is a season, it’s temporary – “the sun will come out tomorrow. Betcha bottom dollar that tomorrrrrroooowwwwww there’ll be sun! (<– name that movie/musical!)
P.S. if you are having beautiful sunny weather where you are I’m on my way over! (<- too creepy?)
But how are these Carrot Cake Banana Bread Muffins with Cinnamon Glaze festive? Well friends, they have carrots in them which instantly makes them perfect for any Easter or spring brunch table! It’s carrot cake season Ya’ll (<- whoa I never say Ya’ll! It’s always “you guys” – cuz I’m a Midwesterner! What’s happening to me?! I blame the lack of sun, my brain isn’t on straight!)
ANYWAYS if you are looking for more carrot cake inspired recipes try my Spiced Carrot Muffins, one of my most popular recipes on the blog!
The carrot cake banana bread combo has been floating around in my head for a long time. I mean why not combine the two – banana bread is one of the best sweet breads of all times and carrot cake is one of the best cakes of all times! I am happy with how these muffins turned out, really truly – they are soft, banana-y, with all of the best carrot cake flavors – warming spices, raisins, carrots. And you should go make them, I think you’ll really enjoy each bite.
BUT the truth is the texture isn’t quite what I was expecting. I wanted the fluffy texture of carrot cake with the sweetness of banana bread and they turned out to be a lot more dense than carrot cake. I mean when you think about it we are adding in bananas which is why banana bread has the texture it has – I just thought you should know. Don’t worry Carrot Cake Banana Bread Muffins with Cinnamon Glaze you are a unique and beautiful muffin and we all love you for it.
Looking for more Easter/spring food to fill your table? Try my Strawberry Rhubarb Compote (spread on biscuits or toast), Strawberry Rhubarb and Honey Drink, Easy Lemon Roasted Asparagus, or my Asparagus frittata.
Carrot Cake Banana Bread Muffins with Cinnamon Glaze (GF + DF)
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Total Time: 40 mins
- Yield: 12 1x
- Category: Breakfast, Dessert, Side
- Cuisine: Gluten Free, Dairy Free
Description
The two best treats combined. These muffins are loaded with bananas, carrots and topped with a cinnamon glaze. This recipe is perfect for brunch, Easter, or Mother’s Day.
Ingredients
- Carrot Cake Banana Bread Muffins
- 1 cup all purpose gluten free flour
- 3/4 cup coconut flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons arrowroot starch
- 2 to 3 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 4 ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
- 1/2 cup maple syrup or honey
- 1/4 cup coconut sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup plain, unsweetened almond milk
- 1 cup carrots, shredded
- 3/4 cup raisins or chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)
- Cinnamon Glaze
- 3/4 cup raw cashews, soaked for 6 to 8 hours (or over night)*
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
- 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons water
- 1 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- pinch salt
- 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven: to 350 Fahrenheit. Grease a muffin tin and set aside.
- Make the batter: In a large bowl whisk the dry ingredients together: AP GF flour, coconut flour, baking soda, salt, arrow root starch, and spices. In a separate medium sized bowl mash the bananas with a fork and stir in the remaining ingredients: eggs, coconut oil, honey, coconut sugar, vanilla, shredded carrots and raisins/nuts of choice (optional). fold the wet ingredients into the dry until well combined.
- Bake: Divide the batter between the muffin tins and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick removes clean and they are set. Allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes, remove and cool completely on a wire cooling rack.
- Make Glaze: While the muffins are baking make the glaze. Drain the cashews from the water and add them to a blender along with the remaining ingredients. Blend on high until smooth, about 2 minutes. Taste and adjust as needed. The consistency should be pour able.
- Decorate: Drizzle the glaze over each muffin. Enjoy immediately or store in the fridge for several days.
Notes
*Normally I suggest that you can soak your cashews in hot water for 1 hour if you forget to soak them the night before. However I found it was best to soak them for the 6 to 8 hours to get the creamiest results with the glaze.
You will have glaze leftover. Lucky you!
Nutrition facts are calculated for 1 our of 12 muffins with the cinnamon glaze. Keep in mind that you have quite a bit of glaze left over so the calculations aren’t exactly accurate (that math is too complicated for my brain!).
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