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My love for carrot cake runs deep. And not just any carrot cake, I love the kind that鈥檚 loaded with raisins, coconut and pineapple. Left to my own devices I would add pecans or walnuts to the cake as well, but unfortunately for me, I鈥檓 completely out-voted at my house when it comes to adding nuts to desserts. So alas, you won鈥檛 find any of that here.

I love carrot cake any time of year (remember my chai-spiced version from the holidays a few years back?), but its often a recipe I look forward to most in the springtime. This slightly lightened up version of carrot cake in a muffin form is the perfect bridge between a breakfast food and dessert. It鈥檚 a lovely treat to enjoy for Easter or to take to a bridal shower or baby shower if you have one of those to coming up this spring.

These muffins are tender and packed with flavor but light in texture, perfectly crumbly and not so sweet you can鈥檛 enjoy for actual breakfast. I couldn鈥檛 resist folding in all my favorite goodies that make carrot cake so yummy, but as you read through the recipe, know you can skip the pineapple or raisins if they aren鈥檛 your favorite.

I added a simple cream cheese frosting recipe at the bottom of the muffin recipe if you want to jazz the recipe up and turn them into cupcakes. I kept half the batch unfrosted and enjoyed a muffin with my morning coffee. But the other half I frosted for my kids and they were immediately gobbled up. I actually had to hide the unfrosted ones so I could actually have one the next day.

Whether you turn these sweet little muffins into pretty cupcakes or stand at the kitchen island and inhale them like my family, you are guaranteed a wonderful springy treat everyone will be begging you to make a second batch of.

Carrot Cake Muffins

鈥� 2 cups finely shredded carrots

鈥� 1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil

鈥� 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

鈥� 1/3 cup granulated sugar

鈥� 2 large eggs

鈥� 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

鈥� 1/2 cup low-fat sour cream

鈥� 1 1/4 cup all purpose-flour

鈥� 1 teaspoon baking soda

鈥� 1 teaspoon baking powder

鈥� 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

鈥� 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

鈥� 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

鈥� 1/4 teaspoon ginger

鈥� 1/3 cup raisins

鈥� 1/3 cup sweetened shredded coconut

鈥� 1/3 cup well-drained canned crushed pineapple

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 12-cup cupcake tin with cooking spray or line with paper liners.

Wash, peel and grate carrots. Set aside. In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking soda and powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger. Whisk to combine, then set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the oil, brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs and vanilla. Mix until well-combined. Add the carrots and sour cream, mixing gently. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in two batches, stirring after each addition. Finally, gently stir in the raisins, coconut and pineapple.

Spoon the batter into the prepared cupcake pan, evenly distributing and filling each mold about three-fourths full.

Bake for about 20 minutes on the center rack of the oven or until a toothpick inserted to the center of the muffin comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow the muffins to cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling.

While the muffins cool completely, make the cream cheese frosting.

Combine one stick (1/2 cup) of softened salted butter with two heaping tablespoons whipped cream cheese and half a tablespoon vanilla extract. Using a hand mixer, combine the ingredients smooth. Add three cups of powdered sugar and beat again until the frosting is smooth. Add a splash of milk if the frosting is too thick or you prefer more of a glaze than a thick frosting.