7 October 2008

Pumpkin Spice Muffins with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

Pumpkin Spice Muffins with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

After making the soup of the past post I had some leftover pumpkin puree. So from savoury to sweet goes my kitchen. This recipe comes from The Joy of Baking for a Pumpkin Spice Cake. I converted it to muffins to quicken the amount of time it would take to have these special treats on my table. As it turns out it took just as long to cook the muffins as it would a cake but it is worth the wait!!!!!

Ben over at What's Cooking has a monthly event I Love Baking on his forum . I wanted to send these muffins his way. Ben has been a good friend to many of us and shares his love of Mexican cuisine and heritage with us on his site. His site is full of tips and extra goodies.



Today we are lucky to have excellent brands of canned pumpkin puree on the market which saves us the time and effort of having to make our own. But if you would like to make your own use the smaller pumpkin varieties like Sugar Pie, Baby Bear or Cheese Pumpkin (approximately 5-7 lbs., 2 1/2 - 3 1/2 kg.). To make the puree, first cut the pumpkin in half lengthwise, remove seeds and stringy fibers, and then place cut-side down on a greased baking sheet.

 Bake at 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) for approximately 45 minutes to 1 1/4 hours (depending on size) or until easily pierced with a knife. Scoop out the pulp and puree in a food processor until smooth. To extract all the liquid, strain through a cheesecloth lined strainer. Cool the puree before using.

**Pumpkin Spice Muffins with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting**


1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 -1/4 cups (270 grams) light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup fresh or canned pure pumpkin (about 1/2 of a 15 ounce can)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla
2 cups (200 grams) sifted cake flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon (5 grams) baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 cup (120 ml) buttermilk, room temperature

Note: To make your own buttermilk combine 1/2 cup (120 ml) of milk with 1/2 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice. Stir and let stand for 10 minutes before using.

**Maple Cream Cheese Frosting**

8 ounces (228 grams) cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup (56 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup (preferably Grade A dark amber)
2 cups (230 grams) confectioners' (powdered or icing) sugar, sifted

For Garnish:

1/2 cup (50 grams) toasted and chopped walnuts or pecans

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven. Prepare muffin tins.

In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes). Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the pumpkin puree and vanilla and beat until incorporated.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and spices. Add the flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to the pumpkin batter, in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Spoon muffin mixture into cupcake pan. Bake for approximately 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.

Frosting: Place the cream cheese and butter in the bowl of your food processor (or use a hand mixer) and pulse until smooth. Add the maple syrup and confectioners' sugar and process to combine. Adjust syrup or sugar until you have the right consistency. Spread on each muffin.

Garnish with chopped nuts. Refrigerate but bring to room temperature before serving.

Makes 12














































You are reading this post on More Than Burnt Toast at http://morethanburnttoast.blogspot.com. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to the author/owner of More Than Burnt Toast. All rights reserved by Valerie Harrison. Best Blogger Tips

44 comments:

  1. OMG, those muffins look goegeous! The kind I'd gobble down in five seconds! Very pretty too!

    cheers,

    Rosa

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  2. I love pumpkin in any form! These are fantastic, I always find such good recipes on the Joy Of Baking site. Great job!

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  3. I'm all in...extra icing please.

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  4. Yet another great one from you!

    -DTW
    www.everydaycookin.blogspot.com

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  5. Maple and pumpkin. These are the essence of the season.

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  6. Those look so good, Val. I think I need to buy some more pumpkins this week!

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  7. I'm such a sucker for cream cheese frosting... these look fabulous!

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  8. this sounds heavenly. and that maple cream cheese frosting looks so luscious and delicious. I love pumpkin-flavored quick breads/muffins/cakes/etc. of any kind.

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  9. Oooh, these sound delicious! A great way to use up that extra pumpkin!

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  10. Maple cream cheese frosting? Oh, these look mouthwateringly good.

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  11. Goegeous muffins val and they look beautiful!!

    Rosie x

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  12. Oh, your killin me! I got to take a break and look for something sweet!

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  13. Pumpkin spice muffins (or cake) is always delicious, but topped with maple cream cheese frosting and they become divine! Serious yum factor here. I wish I had some of these to nibble on right now!

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  14. I just read your post about your parents going to the Lake District. The summer of 1969 I was a member of a choir that toured England and Scotland and participated in a Music Festival. We were based in the Lake District & stayed at the Windermere Hotel and sang on a cruise on Lake Windermere. I was 17 and remember that beautiful countryside like it was yesterday. Thanks for bringing this area to mind. I hope your family had a fabulous trip.

    Martha in Kansas

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  15. Those muffins looks incredible Val!!! I was looking for something like that to make myself...thanks for taking all the work of finding it for me!

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  16. I just made a similarly flavored pumpkin bread this weekend (cream cheese swirls) and have been sneaking bits each time I go in the fridge, so I love the look of these muffins! Especially the maple frosting

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  17. OH MY YES, You know how I am a muffin fanatic. AND I have pure maple syrup in my fridge RIGHT NOW. I will have to make these!!!

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  18. Beautiful muffins Val. I wonder if the boys would like them. Maybe I should not mentioned that there is pumpkin in the mix.

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  19. I love you! These sound go good!
    I've been craving pumpkin.

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  20. Even with the cheese on top,
    these muffins look amazing.
    Val, great you got a pumpkin,
    so that we could enjoy your work!

    I'm such a horrible poet!!!! More than horrible, dreadful!

    No rythmm at all! How bad :(

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  21. Yes please Val! I'll have mine with a strong cup of coffee thanks! They look soooo good!

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  22. oh my gosh! I need to have these in my mouth RIGHT NOW. They look so delicious! Luckily for me, I have the joy of cooking- i need to make these asap!

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  23. Woow, looks very rich and decadent. Great idea with the maple frosting!

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  24. I have bookmarked a similar recipe I want to try. I just love pumpkin muffins & cream cheese frosting - only gets better with the addition of the maple! These look perfect, Val!

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  25. I've seen this combination all over the place. I've never thought to combine these two flavors, but they sound SO fantastic.

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  26. These muffins look just great Val, especially the frosting,mmmm!!!!

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  27. Gorgeous muffins Val...& thanks for the tip to make pumpkin puree. For some like me, it'll come in most handy! I got a bit ambitious & carried on looking for tips to making maple syrup too...LOL!!!

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  28. You know about my love affair with maple don't you? OMG Val, I have to make them. Who cares if my jeans never fit again.

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  29. AY! AY-ay-ay-ay-ay! I need those. Desperately. In a way only a pumpkin junkie could understand. Val, these are truly gorgeous. And luscious. And I think I'm in love with them. And you, for posting them.

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  30. Those muffins look good! I really like the sound of that maple cream cheese frosting!

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  31. The muffins sound amazing, but I think I'll just have a muffin-sized dollop of that fabulous maple cream cheese, thanks!

    I just posted my world food day submission, and I'll email you soon. Thank you for (and Ivy) organizing this.

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  32. Delicious muffins - love the maple icing :D

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  33. These were so good they didn't last a day:D Thanks for all your kind comments everyone..COOK SEASONALLY!!!!

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  34. Now that is it fall (Ha, but really it is getting cooler at night now, back into the upper 70's) I have been needing something with pumpkin and spice. Your muffins look like they will "fit the bill"!
    Hope all is well your way:)

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  35. Wow, these look heavenly. Delicious!!

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  36. those look yummy Valli!

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  37. that icing sounds perfect for so many things. i love cinnamon cream cheese frosting, but this'd be a lovely alternative. :)

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  38. Vall these look amazing and yummy!!! how ever. Dear Val I have an Award to you in my blog, love,xxGloria

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  39. Muffins look magnificent..I guess I have to come and meet you and eat your yummy food.

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  40. these look beatiful - you've done a wonderful job on them!

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  41. Oh, Val, these look gorgeous! I'd have a perfect fall breakfast pairing these with the apple maple corn muffins. YUM - fall!

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  42. Maple cream cheese frosting? I could eat a bowl just of that! These look amazingly good, Val.

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  43. Pumpkin and maple syrup are a match made in heaven- Yum!

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  44. LOL - once again great culinary minds think alike!! For WTSIM I made pumpkin muffins from a recipe in the October Gourmet mag which I picked up while I was in Chicago last month! Although mine didn't have the delicious icing yours have, and I cheated slightly and used butternut squash - which worked perfectly!

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Welcome to my home. Thank you for choosing to stay a while and for sharing our lives through food. I appreciate all your support, comments, suggestions, and daily encouragement.

Val

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