Pumpkin Maple Muffins

It’s that pumpkin time of year, and so therefore everything is right in the baking world. You know, Pumpkin Pie, Pumpkin Praline Cheesecake with Bourbon Caramel Sauce, Browned Butter Pumpkin Cake with Salted Caramel Frosting, Pumpkin Cream Cheese Tarts… we’ve been there, done that, and we’ll absolutely keep going to the pumpkin patch for more. We’ve even done the Pumpkin Spice Smoothie, remember that?

If you don’t like pumpkin then you’ll need to click away from this recipe (try these Caramel Chocolate Pecan Cubes to keep yourself entertained), but you really should ask yourself” “What’s my problem? What happened to me in my childhood to scar me in this most unfortunate way so as to not desire the allure of the pumpkin?”. Two simple questions to get the therapy started. Get going. And bake this recipe as your first foray back to the bright side.

Adapted from Food Network’s recipe…

2 cups light brown sugar, packed

1 cup sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

4 eggs, lightly beaten

16-oz. canned unsweetened pumpkin

3 1/2 cups flour

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon nutmeg (freshly grated!)

1 teaspoon allspice

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon cloves

1/3 cup milk, almond milk, or water

1/3 cup maple cream liqueur or maple syrup, plus extra 1/2 cup for brushing after removed from oven
1. Preheat oven to 350º, and grease 24 large muffin pans (or two 9 x 5″ loaf pans).
2. In a large bowl, stir together sugar and oil. Stir in eggs and pumpkin.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk flour through cloves (all dry ingredients) together until combined. Combine maple liqueur (or syrup) with milk.
4. Blend dry ingredients and maple-milk into wet mixture, alternating (beginning and ending with the dry ingredients*). Divide batter between prepared muffin cups and bake for 20 minutes (30 – 40 minutes for loaf pans), or until cake tester comes out clean.
5. Brush 1/2 cup of maple cream liqueur (or syrup) over hot muffins/loaves. Let stand 10 minutes, then remove from pans to cool.
Tips:
- Fresh nutmeg really does make a difference, so please grate on the rough side of your cheese grater.
- Maple cream liqueur? I know! It’s amazing! We found it at Binny’s on sale (which might mean everyone else thought it sounded too gross to drink?), and I’ve been pining for a recipe to use it in ever since. V-o-i-l-a.
- *Alternating ingredients? Confusing, I know. Stir in 1/3 of the dry into the pumpkin mixture, then 1/2 of the maple-milk, then another 1/3 of the dry, the remaining 1/2 of the maple-milk, then the remaining 1/3 of the dry. The way you add the ingredients helps the structure of the batter. Trust me, it’s worth it to do it. I’d never make you do something pointless, would I?
- These freeze well if you wrap them tightly… just thaw in the fridge and serve warm.
- Enjoy!
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November 5th, 2014 | More Sweets Please | 2 Comments | Tags: Breads & Muffins, Maple

2 Responses and Counting...

R G RUEL 11.05.2014

Jodi – Those muffins look awesome. Can you save a couple for next week? Love, D
More Sweets Please

For the right price I can bake anything :)