Cream Cheese Filled Carrot Cake Muffins

You're looking at luxury in muffin form =). These are incredibly delicious muffins! I decided to create a new muffin recipe this week because my mom asked me to bring muffins to a brunch we are having for my brother this Easter Sunday. He recently returned from serving a two year LDS mission in Brazil so he is going to speak in church on Sunday and we are going to have a get together afterwards (if you are wondering what an "LDS mission" even is I love sharing what I believe so if you'd like to learn more about what I believe, and what my brother spent two years teaching, please follow this link here).

I hope you enjoy these delightful muffins, they are all the great things about carrot cake in muffin form,without waiting for a cake to cool and frosting it =). They would be great for an Easter brunch or any time you've got the craving for a delicious muffin or carrot cake. These muffins are a wonderful surprise to people. They think they are just biting into an ordinary cupcake only to find a spectacular, rich cream cheese filling that perfectly compliments the carrot cake muffins. Happy Easter everyone!  

Cream Cheese Filled Carrot Cake Muffins
Yields 12 muffins


Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup applesauce
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup lightly packed, finely grated carrots, about 2 large carrots
2 Tbsp Raw Turbinado Sugar or Sanding Sugar, divided


Cream Cheese Filling:
8 oz cream cheese, softened (I softened in the microwave for 30 seconds on HIGH)
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp vanilla extract


Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Line a muffin tin with paper liners.  In a mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, whip together cream cheese, 1/3 cup granulated sugar, lemon juice and 1/2 tsp vanilla on low speed until mixture is smooth, set aside.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg, set aside.  In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer on low speed, blend together 1 cup granulated sugar, buttermilk, vegetable oil, applesauce, eggs and 1 tsp vanilla for 30 seconds.  Add in dry ingredients and mix just until combine.  Using a rubber spatula, fold in grated carrots.  
Fill paper lined muffin cups with an 1/8 cup muffin mixture (Note: it's important to keep these measurements even. Also, if you don't have an 1/8 cup measure out 2 Tbsp). Gently drop 1 Tbsp cream cheese mixture on top, in the center of each filled muffin cup, then cover the cream cheese mixture with an additional 1/8 cup muffin mixture. Sprinkle each muffin evenly with 1/2 tsp Raw Sugar.  Bake 20 - 23 minutes until edges are lightly golden.  
If necessary, run a knife around the edges of the cupcakes to remove from pan (note: I haven't tried this yet but spraying the top of the pan with non-stick spray before baking may help muffins remove more easily). Enjoy warm for a slightly runnier cream cheese filling or allow to cool 30-40 minutes for a set cream cheese filling. Store muffins in an airtight container.

Recipe Source: Cooking Classy