These simple Spinach Cake Muffins have the perfect amount of sweetness and an appealing bright green color but no intense spinach flavor. Kids (and adults) love them! They’re versatile and make the perfect quick breakfast, after school snack or post dinner treat!
PinSpinach Cake Muffins: A Parent’s Secret Weapon
I get inspired (and such a thrill) when Weelicious moms send me their ideas for new recipes. Several years ago now, a mom sent me a recipe she had seen on a blog that was for Spinach Cake Muffins. The recipe called for spinach and applesauce combined with a boxed cake mix.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for incorporating vegetables as often as possible, but there was something about the thought of spinach mixed into a sweet muffin that came across as unappealing to me. However, this mom was incredibly passionate about figuring out how to make these muffins a bit more healthy (and without the boxed cake mix). Her enthusiasm won me over, and wanting to see if there would be any value to trying a recipe like this, I started playing around with it.
PinAfter a bunch of trial and error, I was kinda shocked at how delicious the muffins turned out. They had just the perfect amount of sweetness and an appealing bright green color, but no intense spinach flavor. I got really into making them and produced a sweet little gem of a muffin that my kids absolutely loved. Now, years later, this is one of my most popular recipes to date!
Gemma joined me in making a batch and got so into it that I caught her eating spinach leaves directly out of the measuring cup! Who says kids don’t like their greens?! I always find when you give little ones a chance to be a part of creating something in the kitchen, it can transform food for them in a way that’s just as much fun to make as it is to eat!
Why I Love This Recipe
- Hidden Nutrients, Happy Tummies: Let’s face it, getting kids to eat their greens can be a challenge. But with Spinach Cake Muffins, you’re introducing a way to incorporate spinach into their diet while treating them to a delicious baked delight. It’s a win-win for moms and little ones alike!
- Balanced Treats: While indulgence has its place, these muffins offer a healthier alternative by using applesauce for some natural sweetness and less sugar than traditional muffins. The goodness of spinach, along with the benefits of fiber and essential nutrients, ensures you’re serving up treats that you can feel good about giving.
- Versatile Snacking: Spinach Cake Muffins aren’t just for breakfast – they’re perfect for school lunches, midday snacks, or an after-dinner treat. Plus, they freeze well, making them an excellent option for busy days.
- Involve the Kids: Turn baking into a family activity by letting the kids help with measuring ingredients, stirring the batter, and filling the muffin cups. It’s a wonderful way to create cherished memories together and may get them to dive into a vegetable they would be otherwise hesitant to try!
PinIngredients for Spinach Cake Muffins
- Unsweetened applesauce
- Large egg
- Vanilla extract
- Fresh spinach
- Sugar
- Vegetable or canola oil
- All purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Kosher salt
PinHow to Make Spinach Cake Muffins
- Prep Oven and Muffin Tin: Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease mini or regular muffin tin. You can also use muffins liners.
- Make Spinach Purée: Place the apple sauce, egg, vanilla extract, spinach, sugar and oil in a food processor and puree. Pour the spinach puree in a large mixing bowl.
- Combine dry ingredients: Place the remaining ingredients in a separate bowl and combine.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients: Slowly mix the dry ingredients into the wet until combined.
- Fill muffin tins: Scoop batter into a greased mini or regular muffin tin, filling each cup 2/3 of the way.
- Bake and serve: Bake for 12 minutes for mini muffins and 18-20 minutes for regular sized muffins.
PinMore “Hidden” Veggie Recipes Kids Love
- Roast Vegetable Pasta Sauce
- Chocolate Zucchini Bread
- Tastes-Like-Ice-Cream Kale Smoothie
- Mug Pumpkin Mac and Cheese
- Broccoli Cheddar Patties
Spinach Cake Muffins are your secret weapon for serving up a delightful treat that’s packed with goodness. From their hidden veggie power to the joy they bring, these muffins are a true treasure for parents looking to create nourishing and delicious moments for their families.
Thank you to the Weelicious mom who inspired this Spinach Cake Muffin recipe (you know who you are) and to everyone else, please keep the ideas coming! They energize me, spark great ideas and no matter how out there they may be, can produce an awesome and delicious result.
Photos by Ivan Solis
Spinach Cake Muffins
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup fresh spinach, packed
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons olive, avocado, vegetable or canola oil
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- Place the first 6 ingredients in a food processor and puree.
- Place the remaining ingredients in a separate bowl and combine.
- Pour the spinach puree in a large mixing bowl.
- Slowly mix the dry ingredients into the wet until combined.
- Scoop batter into a greased mini or regular muffin tin, filling each cup 2/3 of the way.
- Bake for 12 minutes for mini muffins and 18-20 minutes for regular sized muffins.
You could try using a flax egg! 1 tablespoon ground flax seeds mixed with 3 tablespoons water.
Hi. My 14 month old has dairy, egg and nut allergies. Any substitution you can recommend for the egg in this recipe? Thank you!
Great substitutions! Glad these were a hit!
So Delicious! I sub’d the sugar for a little less than a 1/4 cup of maple syrup, packed in an extra 1/2 cup of spinach (next time i’ll try an extra full cup), and a medium very ripe banana. My very picky eater helped me make them and loved his “hulk smash” muffins. TY!
So cool!
My daughter and I love these muffins so much. I am going to suggest making them in her classes cooking lesson today 😀
These are six year old children, and they use ingredients from the kitchen garden. Fresh eggs from the chickens, spinach, apples… will be great seeing them collect them and add to the ingredients 🙂 plus they taste pretty awesome..
A little dry and not sweet enough for my toddlers. But I was surprised that the spinach wasn’t overwhelming. So will try and tweak to fit my children’s muffin preferences!
Hello,
Tried making these last night but I thought it was missing moisture. They came out pretty well but the inside seemed pretty dry and I guess not enough sweet to impress my toddler.
Yes! Freeze on a baking sheet for about 30 minutes, then transfer to a ziploc bag and keep frozen for up to 3 months!
Hi could you tell me if these are freezable please. Tia Hayley x
I just made these and while the texture turned out quite I found the muffins to be very bland and lacked flavor. Was especially surprised because there is 1/3 cup of sugar and applesauce in the recipe. They were not sweet at all. What could I do to intensify the flavor?
I took out the oil and added more applesauce as well as reducing the sugar to 1/4 cup
while i was making this, i was wondering how come there are no liquids. i added a tiny bit of orange juice. the muffins came out a little dry. i added more juice to the leftover batter. the muffins came out much better. yours didn’t come out dry?
Hi! I really love these muffins but today I made some adjustments because I can never leave a recipe alone 😉 So just thought I’d share my substitutions. I was out of fresh spinach, I wanted to try sugar free, gluten free and add some extra low carb fiber!! Also I used a vitamix. Here it is-
1 cup frozen spinach for fresh
3 dates soaked in 1/4c warm water plus 2 tbsp raw honey for the sugar
1c gluten free all purpose flour
1/2c organic golden ground flaxmeal
They turned out great! My LO loves these spread with cream cheese!!
Thanks!
I make these all the time! My husband and 12 month old loves them!
Hmmm you could try using dates! Take a few medjool dates, soak them in warm water for 10 minutes, then blend in the food processor or blender to make a puree. Use the same amount as the applesauce called for, although the dates might be sweeter than the applesauce.