Carrot Zucchini Light Cheese Swirl (Printable)

Moist muffins with fresh carrot, zucchini, and a light cream cheese swirl, perfect for breakfast or snack.

# What you'll need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 cup grated carrot, about 2 medium carrots
02 - 1 cup grated zucchini, about 1 medium zucchini, squeezed dry

→ Dry Ingredients

03 - 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
04 - 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
05 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
06 - 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
07 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
08 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
09 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
10 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

→ Wet Ingredients

11 - 2 large eggs
12 - 1/3 cup light olive oil or vegetable oil
13 - 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
14 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

→ Cream Cheese Swirl

15 - 4 ounces light cream cheese, softened
16 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
17 - 1 tablespoon whole milk
18 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

# Method:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners or lightly grease each cup.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg until evenly distributed.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk eggs, oil, applesauce, and vanilla until smooth and fully incorporated.
04 - Add grated carrot and zucchini to the wet ingredient mixture and stir until well combined.
05 - Gently fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients until just combined. Avoid overmixing to maintain tender crumb structure.
06 - Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups, filling each approximately two-thirds full.
07 - In a small bowl, beat together softened cream cheese, sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth and creamy.
08 - Spoon approximately 1 teaspoon of cream cheese mixture onto the center of each muffin. Use a toothpick or skewer to gently swirl the mixture into the batter.
09 - Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into a muffin (avoiding the cream cheese) comes out clean or with minimal moist crumbs.
10 - Allow muffins to cool in pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They stay incredibly moist for days because of the shredded vegetables, so you can actually make them ahead without that stale muffin regret.
  • The cream cheese swirl gives you that bakery-quality touch without requiring any fancy skills or piping bags.
  • You're sneaking vegetables into breakfast in a way that tastes like dessert, which feels like winning at nutrition.
02 -
  • Squeezing the grated zucchini is non-negotiable because water is the enemy of tender muffin crumb, and I learned this the hard way by making a batch of soggy disappointments before I figured it out.
  • The cream cheese swirl has to go in before baking, not after, because that initial heat helps it set into the crumb rather than sitting on top and sliding off.
03 -
  • Room temperature eggs and softened cream cheese mix in smoothly without lumps, so pull them from the fridge fifteen minutes before you start.
  • If your cream cheese is still too firm to beat, microwave it for ten-second bursts until it's soft but not melting, because this changes everything about how nicely the swirl works.
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