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Back-to-Monday mornings need my delicious, vegan carrot cake blender muffins to make the day bright! They are also oil-free, gluten-free, & flourless.
It’s exciting to get back into a routine, but that does not necessarily mean it’s easy. Some solace is helpful in the transition, and that’s where these muffins come in.
They are full of the familiar flavors and comforts of carrot cake (perhaps my favorite cake, ever), but they are simultaneously the very thing you need to eat for the energy and confidence you need to face any and all of the realities of Monday morning.
Moist, tender and cakey, they also happen to be very fast and easy to make.
The ingredients are familiar, and likely on hand already. I chose to use coconut milk (the beverage variety, available in tetra paks) and coconut sugar to add a subtle hint of coconut flavor, but you can use any plain milk that you like or have on hand, as well as sub brown sugar for the coconut sugar.
These are Monday morning muffins, designed for minimizing stress and avoiding special trips to the grocery store for ingredients.
Carrots, oats, seeds (I used sunflower and pepita), spices, vanilla, the milk and the sugar: toss them into the blender and blend until smooth.
Pureeing the carrots right into the batter adds to the gently sweetness of the muffins while keeping the added sugar low. It adds plenty of moistness, as well as an appealing, golden-orange hue, to the finished muffins, too. Win, win and win!
Post blending, simply pour the batter into 10 muffin cups. I like to add a sprinkle of seeds, oats and finely chopped coconut, too, for visual appeal, as well as toasty crunch, but it’s up to you whether you choose to do the same. Slide the muffin tin into the oven to bake for a spell (roughly 25 minutes), and you, my friend, are done. Take a look at what your minimal efforts can yield:
Wholesome oats, vegetable first thing in the morning, heart-healthy fats, courtesy of the seeds, and, best of all, warm, delicious, carrot cake goodness. These are seriously frugal, too, so go ahead an pat yourself on the back for starting the week with a budget-conscious mindset.
These are great travelers for your commute, and children munch them up (although I recommend leaving off any extra toppings I you do; it seems to deter from their muffin aesthetics. Adding a few mini chocolate chips, however, is an approved enhancement).
Don’t forget to munch one before a workout, too, for cake empowerment.
Related Posts:
- Carrot Cake Millet Breakfast Bars {Vegan, GF, Low Fodmap}
- 3-Ingredient Carrot & Red Lentil Soup {vegan, oil-free}
- Vanilla Almond Flour Cake {vegan, oil-free}
- Roasted Carrot White Bean Soup {3-Ingredients, vegan, easy}
- Healthy Roasted Carrot Hummus (No Beans)
Vegan Carrot Cake Blender Muffins (Oil-free, Gluten-Free)
Ingredients
- 2 cups rolled oats, certified gluten-free as needed
- 1/2 cup sunflower seeds or pepitas
- 1 large carrot, about 7.5 inches, peeled, trimmed, cut into chunks
- 1/3 cup coconut sugar, or packed brown sugar
- 1 cup coconut milk beverage, or milk of choice
- 1/3 cup water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 teaspoon vinegar, cider vinegar or white vinegar
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- Optional toppings: a couple tablespoons each of rolled oats, sunflower seeds or pepitas, finely chopped flake coconut
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375F (190C). .Line 10 cups of a standard muffin tin.
- Place all of the ingredients (except optional toppings) into a blender (food processor will work, too); blend until smooth. Divide batter evenly between prepared cups. Sprinkle with optional toppings.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes until centers are puffed and muffins are golden brown.
- Cool in tin set on a cooling rack for 10 minutes. Remove from tin and serve warm or cool completely.
Can I use coconut butter or oil as a substitute for sunflower and pumpkin seeds, and can I use lemon juice as a substitute for vinegar?
Hi Nicole,
Yes to the lemon juice. For the nuts and seeds: I am not sure, but probably. Keep in mind the nuts and seeds are doing more than adding fat to the recipe, they are adding volume and texture, too. So you will need to experiment with adding more of the solid ingredients to make up for lost volume/texture.
Would this recipe still work if the sunflower seeds were omitted?
Hi Sarah! You could make them with another seed or nut (e.g. green pumpkin seeds, cashews, or walnuts). They muffins will not work without some sort of equivalent to replace the sunflower seeds
Hey there! What do you think about replacing the sugar with a ripe banana? Think it it could be a 1:1 swap? TIA!
Hi Leigh Anne! It could work, and definitely worth trying (depending on how much added, I would reduce some of the liquid because of the volume of the banana). I would live to know if you try it 😊
These were good! Simple and easy to make!
These were delicious!!!! And so easy. Will make them again.
Love this recipe! I use cashews instead of sunflower seeds and soy milk instead of coconut beverage. Works great.
Sounds perfect, Anna! Thank you so much for sharing your substitutions 😊
Hi ? I would like to do the recipe but Using stevia instead of sugar.
I use the stevia that has a tiny spoon.
My question is if I have to add more oatmeal to compensate the volume of the missing sugar.
Thanks in advance for your help ?
Hi Chana! Yes, I think you will need to add a bit more volume to make up for the absence of sugar. Yes, a few more oats, and I would up the water a bit, too, since sugar adds moisture in addition to sweetness. I would love to know how it works out (I am sure other readers would, too!)