Sourdough Carrot Coffee Cake Muffins
Moist, warmly spiced, sugar-swirled, and streusel-topped—these muffins are the ultimate mashup of carrot cake and coffee cake, made with long-fermented sourdough goodness.The cozy spice of carrot cake, a touch of citrus and the classic cinnamon swirl paired with the crumbly topping of a coffee cake—all in one tidy, bakery-worthy muffin. Long-fermented for flavor and digestibility, these are tender, flavorful, and feel like something you’d find in a tucked-away artisan café.Whether you’re baking for Easter brunch, gifting to friends, or just want to elevate your sourdough discard game, this recipe brings all the comfort and creativity you need.
Equipment
- Standard 12-cup muffin tin
- Muffin liners or nonstick spray
- Microplane or zester
- Cheese grater or food processor
- Kitchen scale (optional)
- Mixing bowls
- Mixing bowls
- Hand mixer or sturdy whisk
- Cooling rack
Ingredients
- 175g (1.4 cups) all-purpose flour
- 69g (1/3 cup) avocado oil
- 60g (1/4 cup) sourdough starter (unfed, 100% hydration)
Instructions
Mix the Base (Night Before – Long Fermentation)
- Night Before: Fermented Muffin Base• 175g (1.4 cups) all-purpose flour• 69g (1/3 cup) avocado oil• 60g (1/4 cup) sourdough starter (unfed, 100% hydration)• 1 tsp vanilla extract (5g)• 1/2 tsp maple flavoring ((optional, I use Frontier Co-op Maple flavoring linked here https://amzn.to/41O9qUl)• 50g (1/4 cup) granulated sugar• 100g (1/2 cup) brown sugar, packed• 60g (3 tbsp) honey• 75g (1/3 cup) whole milk• 60g (1/4 cup) sour creamIn a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, oil, sourdough starter, vanilla, maple flavoring (if using), sugars, honey, milk, and sour cream until smooth and well-combined.Cover tightly and refrigerate for 8–12 hours.
Prepare the Streusel Topping (if fermenting overnight)
- Brown Sugar Streusel Topping:• 90g (3/4 cup) all-purpose flour• 50g (1/4 cup) granulated sugar• 95g (1/2 cup + 1 tbsp) brown sugar, packed• 30g (2 tbsp) sourdough discard• 3 tbsp (43g) unsalted butter, softened• 1½ tsp ground cinnamon (4g)• Pinch of salt (about 1/8 tsp)In a bowl, mix flour, sugars, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. Add discard and butter. Use a fork or your fingers to create large crumbles. Cover and allow to rest overnight to ferment.
Next Morning Add to Batter:
- 57g (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, browned and slightly cooled to room temperature • 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk (about 67g total)• 120g (about 1 cup) finely grated carrots• 1½ tsp orange zest (4g)• 1½ tsp baking powder • 3/4 tsp baking soda • 1/2 tsp salt • 1 tsp ground cinnamon • 1/2 tsp ground ginger • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg • 1/8 tsp ground cardamom The next morning, remove bowl from refrigerator and allow to rest to take of the chill. In the meantime, brown your butter. Brown the butter in a saucepan over medium heat until golden and fragrant. Let it cool slightly. Grate your carrots and zest your orange. Add browned butter, egg and egg yolk, baking powder, baking soda, sea salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cardamom to batter. Whisk until batter is smooth. Fold in grated carrots and orange zest. Set batter aside to rest while you prepare your cinnamon sugar ripple.
Cinnamon Sugar Ripple Layer
- • 25g (2 tbsp, packed) brown sugar• 25g (2 tbsp) white sugar• 1½ tsp ground cinnamon (4g)• 1 tbsp (8g) all-purpose flour• Pinch of salt (about 1/8 tsp)• 1/8 tsp cardamom• 1/8 tsp nutmegCombine both sugars, cinnamon, flour, and salt in a small bowl. Set aside.
Assemble the Muffins
- Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Line or grease a 12-cup muffin tin.
- Spoon 1 tbsp of batter into each muffin cup. Sprinkle cups generously with the cinnamon ripple layer.
Bake the Muffins
- Beat cream cheese until smooth with hand beaters. Add powdered sugar and vanilla, beat until creamy. Add milk a little at a time until the glaze is thin enough to drizzle. Drizzle over cooled muffins.