Banana Carrot Cake Muffins

These banana carrot cake muffins blend two classic desserts: banana bread and carrot cake. You get the comforting, naturally sweet flavor of banana bread with the warm spices of carrot cake, all topped with a rich cream cheese frosting. This recipe is also the perfect way to use up overripe bananas. Give these banana carrot cake muffins a try if you are looking to level up your banana bread.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Soft and moist: Ripe bananas, freshly grated carrots, and sour cream give these muffins a tender and moist texture.
• The best of banana bread and carrot cake: You get the comforting banana flavor of banana bread with the warm cinnamon and nutmeg flavors of classic carrot cake.
• Cream cheese frosting: The rich frosting pairs perfectly with the warm spices and sweetness of the muffins.
• Great way to use ripe bananas: Instead of letting those overripe bananas go to waste, turn them into soft and flavorful carrot cake muffins.

Banana Bread Origin

Banana bread originated in the United States during the Great Depression when home bakers wanted to avoid food waste and decided to use overripe bananas in recipes. It is now a popular recipe for overripe bananas.

Ingredients

Banana Carrot Cake Muffins

• 2 ripe bananas, mashed
  • Adds moisture
• 1 cup finely grated carrots
  • Adds natural sweetness and moisture
• ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, melted
  • Adds richness
• ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
  • Adds sweetness
• ¼ cup (50 g) brown sugar, packed
  • Adds subtle caramel flavor
• 1 large egg, room temperature
  • Bind the ingredients
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Adds subtle warmth
• ⅓ cup sour cream
  • Adds extra moisture
• 1½ cups (180 g) all-purpose flour
  • Provides structure
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • Helps the muffin rise
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • Adds cozy spices
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
  • Adds subtle warmth
• ½ teaspoon salt
  • Balance the sweetness

Thick Cream Cheese Frosting

• 8 oz (226 g) full-fat cream cheese, softened
• ¼ cup (57 g) unsalted butter, softened
• 1–2 cups powdered sugar, depending on your preferred sweetness
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt

Click on the images for the direct link to the ingredients/tools I used:

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a 12-cup muffin pan with muffin liners.

Mash the bananas in a large bowl.

Add the melted butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, sour cream, vanilla extract, and egg. Whisk until well combined.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.

Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.

Gently fold in the finely grated carrots until evenly distributed throughout the batter.

Divide the batter evenly among the muffin liners.

Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.

Let the muffins cool in the pan for about 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

While the muffins cool, beat the softened butter until smooth and creamy. Add the softened cream cheese and mix until smooth. Gradually add the powdered sugar, starting with 1 cup and adding more if desired. Mix in the vanilla extract.

Once the muffins are completely cooled, pipe or spread the cream cheese frosting over the tops.

Enjoy immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.

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Banana Carrot Cake Muffins Tips

Use very ripe bananas: The riper the bananas, the sweeter the muffins will be.

Finely grate the carrots: Finely shredded carrots blend into the batter better and help create a softer texture.

Don’t overmix the batter: Mix until the flour is just incorporated. Overmixing can make the muffins dense and chewy.

Don’t overbake: Remove the muffins when a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs

Cool completely before frosting: Warm muffins will cause the cream cheese frosting to melt and slide off.

Adjust the frosting sweetness: Start with 1 cup of powdered sugar and add more if you prefer a sweeter frosting.

Storage Tips

Refrigerate: Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. For the best texture and flavor, let the muffins sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes before serving.

Ingredient Substitutions

Sour cream → Plain Greek yogurt

Cinnamon → Pumpkin pie spice

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to squeeze the shredded carrots?

No. Finely grated carrots can be added directly to the batter. Their moisture helps keep the muffins soft.

Can I use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream?

Yes. Plain full-fat or whole-milk Greek yogurt works well as a 1:1 substitute.

Most Common Mistakes

Overmixing the batter → Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just until combined. Overmixing can make the muffins dense and chewy.

Using underripe bananas → Very ripe bananas provide more sweetness, moisture, and banana flavor.

Not grating the carrots finely → Finely grated carrots incorporate more evenly into the batter.

Overbaking the muffins → Start checking around 20 minutes. A toothpick should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs.

Frosting warm muffins → Let the muffins cool completely before adding the cream cheese frosting, or the frosting can melt and slide off.

What to Serve With

Coffee → A hot cup of coffee pairs perfectly with the sweet banana and cream cheese frosting.

Black tea → English breakfast or Earl Grey makes an easy afternoon pairing.

Brunch spread → Pair with scrambled eggs, fresh fruit, and coffee for a simple brunch.

If you enjoyed this banana carrot cake muffins, you might also my s’mores banana bread or my blondie brookie recipe.

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