Pumpkin Muffins Take 5: Almost Perfect

I say almost, because I'm sure they could be better, but these are spectacular. They're moist, fluffy and tender, with a great balance between pumpkin and spice. Everything you could ever want in a pumpkin muffin! And they've come a long way since the first round of pumpkin muffins!

I made these by adapting a banana bread recipe, and substituting pumpkin for banana. They ended up a bit too wet the first time I made them, so I increased the rest of the ingredients and used a second egg in place of more milk. I liked the banana bread recipe because it used so much banana, but still used a bit of butter to give it just enough fat and richness.

Post about banana bread is coming soon (it's the best I've ever tasted!) but for now, you'll have to live with pumpkin muffins. How awful.

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Pumpkin Muffins Take 5
makes 18 large muffins


Equipment:
two mixing bowls
fork
food scale (optional but preferable)
measuring cups
microwave
oven

Ingredients:
1 15-oz can pumpkin
172.5g (0.75c firmly packed) brown sugar
35g (2.5T) butter, melted
1t vanilla
2 large eggs
0.25t salt

195.5g (scant 1.75c) white whole wheat flour
1.25t baking soda
0.5t baking powder
1.5T cinnamon
1t ginger
0.25t nutmeg, freshly grated
0.5t allspice
0.5t cloves

Directions:
1. Mix the first 6 ingredients together in a large bowl.
2. Whisk the remaining ingredients together in a smaller bowl, fluffing the flour up with a fork. Smell this mixture to make sure the spices are to your liking. Adjust as necessary.
3. Mix the two mixtures together and stir until there are no big flour clumps left.
4. Divide into lined muffin tins and bake for 25 minutes at 350°F. They are done when the tops spring back when touched.
5. Cool for 5-10 before digging in!
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Just tuning in? Check out the rest of the pumpkin muffin saga!