When the cold weather starts rolling in and fall is in the air I immediately start making baked items involving pumpkin. It’s mandatory, isn’t it?
A few years back I posted my favorite pumpkin spice bread recipe, it’s my go-to pumpkin bread. This year I made a few changes to that recipe and turned that delicious bread into adorable muffins. I even bake them up in cupcake tins for a smaller portion size (pictured above). I find that the muffin and/or cupcake shape is a bit more transportable than the loaf and who wouldn’t appreciate that? Running out the door? Just grab one and go. And let’s face it, they are very cute. Nothing makes me feel more like a kid again than eating cupcakes. Spread some cream cheese frosting on top of these cuties and just try to not eat five of them. In one sitting.
These muffins are very moist and the addition of the walnuts provides a wonderful crunch. In my opinion they are terrific eaten as-is. But if you so choose, feel free to slice open and slather on some butter. Or top with some regular cream cheese. Or better yet – spread that cream cheese frosting on top.
Go ahead, bring out that kid in you!
Here’s what you need to make approximately 12 cupcakes or 8 muffins…
Recipe
1 cup regular flour
2/3 cups whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 and 1/3 cups sugar
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons canned unsweetened pumpkin
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, plus a few extra for topping
1 large egg, room temperature
Method
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray muffin tin or cupcake tin with cooking spray. If using a cupcake tin, add your cupcake liners if you so choose.
Mix first seven ingredients together in a bowl with a whisk until well combined.
Combine sugar, oil and pumpkin in the bowl of electric mixer. Beat at medium speed until smooth. Add egg, beating until well blended. Gradually add dry ingredients, beating at a low speed until blended. Add chopped walnuts to the batter and gently fold in using a spatula or wooden spoon. Transfer batter to tin. If you want them to look extra special place a few broken pieces of walnuts on top of each. Not only does this make them look great but it also lets people know there are walnuts inside!
Bake for approximately 20-35 minutes, depending on the size of your tin. You want them to be golden on top, firm to the touch and a when you insert a wooden pick in the center it comes out clean. Let cool in pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes then remove from pan and allow to cool slightly.
Dig in!
- 1 cup regular flour
- ⅔ cups whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 and ⅓ cups sugar
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons canned unsweetened pumpkin
- ½ cup chopped walnuts, plus a few extra for topping
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray muffin tin or cupcake tin with cooking spray. If using a cupcake tin, add your cupcake liners if you so choose.
- Mix first seven ingredients together in a bowl with a whisk until well combined.
- Combine sugar, oil and pumpkin in the bowl of electric mixer. Beat at medium speed until smooth. Add egg, beating until well blended. Gradually add dry ingredients, beating at a low speed until blended. Add chopped walnuts to the batter and gently fold in using a spatula or wooden spoon. Transfer batter to tin. If you want them to look extra special place a few broken pieces of walnuts on top of each. Not only does this make them look great but it also lets people know there are walnuts inside!
- Bake for approximately 20-35 minutes, depending on the size of your tin. You want them to be golden on top, firm to the touch and a when you insert a wooden pick in the center it comes out clean. Let cool in pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes then remove from pan and allow to cool slightly.
