Pumpkin Muffins

The only good muffin top is the actual top of a muffin and definitely not the one that can sometimes form over the jeans.  I am just saying…..and I think we can all agree on this.   However, I am sorry to say that I cannot tell you that these muffins tops will help with the other “muffin tops”.  But that is what Spanx, girdles, and boot camp fitness trainers are for.

I had to do a little improvisation again because I had no ground ginger so I grated some crystallized ginger.  Is it odd that I don’t have ground ginger but I have crystallized?  I thought using crystallized ginger would be interesting.

The original recipe called for some pepitas to sprinkle over the top of the muffins but I didn’t have any on hand.  So, I sprinkled mine with brown sugar.  Although the brown sugar did give them a bit of a crunch on top, it melted and burned a bit down the sides, but I couldn’t taste it.

The muffins were very soft and tender inside, but I think I over cooked them a bit because they were a little scorched on the outside.  I baked the muffins for the full 20 minutes, but my oven runs a little hot.  So, just keep and eye on themem.

These muffins have all kinds of winter spices in them and they tossed in plenty of brown sugar and molasses to make them just a little more rich.  Keep them in an airtight container for a week and have a great breakfast on the go.

• Cooking spray
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole-grain pastry flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
• 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 3 Tbs unsulphered molasses
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup lowfat buttermilk

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Coat a 12-cup muffin pan with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose and whole-wheat flours, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg.

In a large bowl, whisk the sugar, molasses, oil and 1 egg until combined. Add the other egg and whisk well. Whisk in the pumpkin and vanilla. Whisk in the flour mixture in 2 batches, alternating with the buttermilk. Whisk just until combined.

Pour the batter into the prepared muffin pan and sprinkle with brown sugar. Tap the pan on the counter a few times to remove any air bubbles. Bake for 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center of 1 of the muffins comes out clean.

Let cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the muffins to loosen them and unmold. Cool completely on the rack.