Wednesday, May 6, 2009

pumpkin muffins

This week I made some pumpkin muffins for our weekday morning teas. These muffins are very moist and have a spicy sweetness which goes well with a scraping of butter (especially the cultured stuff if you can get it!).

ready for the oven!

Pumpkin Muffins
makes 12

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
pinch of ground allspice
115g softened butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup (packed) light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup mashed pumpkin
1/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup plump golden raisins (or 1/2 cup sultanas, soaked in hot water for about 30mins, then drained)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans or flaked almonds
1/3 cup sunflower seeds or pepitas, for topping.

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 200C. Line a cupcake tray with paper liners.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices. Set aside.

Beat the butter until soft. Add both the sugars and continue to beat until light and smooth. One by one, add the eggs, beating for a minute after they are incorporated, then beat in the vanilla.

Mix in the pumpkin and buttermilk. Add the dry ingredients , along with the raisins and the nuts and mix only until they disappear. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups and sprinkle sunflower seeds or pepitas over the top of each muffin.

Bake for 20 minutes or until cooked when tested with a skewer.

Enjoy!

recipe from "Baking, from my home to yours" by Dorie Greenspan.


2 comments:

a good yarn said...

The colour is simply divine?!I have a pumpkin and prune muffin recipe that I love. These must have smelled incredible.....Ann :)

Meg said...

I love anything that involves pumpkin!YUM!