Pumpkin Donut Muffins

Two years, sixty three recipes, ~12,000 page views from 10 different countries and 46 of the 50 states…not too shabby!  I hope you all are enjoying the recipes as much as I am.  This blog is something I look forward to writing (and eating) the recipes that inspire me.  Feel free to send me ideas or family recipes…I am always looking for something new. 

With this marking my two year anniversary (well two years and six days), I thought I would come full circle and post another fall/Halloween inspired dish…pumpkin donut muffins.  Seeing that I work in marketing research I read a lot about consumer trends, specifically related to food. I came across an article that said pumpkin spiced/flavored foods have increased 234% since 2008…a huge increase!  Here is one more to add to the list…enjoy!

Ingredients

1/2 cup vegetable oil

3 large eggs

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling)

1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 3/4 cups Flour

For coating:

1/4 cup butter, melted

1 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

For Maple Frosting: (optional)

1/2 cup butter, softened

2 cup powdered sugar

1/4 cup maple syrup

pinch of salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Lightly grease a muffin baking tin.  Beat together the oil, sugar, pumpkin, spice, and salt until smooth and combined.  Mix in the eggs, one at a time, mixing in between each addition.  Mix in the flour and baking powder until batter forms (lumps are okay).

Fill the cups in the muffin tin about 3/4 full (recipe makes 12-15, so you may have to bake in two batches or use a second tin).  Bake for 15-18 minutes, until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

For coating:

Meanwhile, place the sugar and cinnamon in a large Ziploc bag. Seal and shake until the cinnamon and sugar are completely mixed together.  When muffins have cooled enough to handle, dip each one in the butter. Then place in the bag, and seal and shake until muffin is coated in the cinnamon sugar.   If you want less sugar on it, skip the butter dip and just put the warm muffins in the sugar back and toss around…the warm and moist muffins will pick up the sugar.  If you wait until the muffins are cool, the butter dip will help.  Can be served immediately or topped with Maple Frosting.

For the Maple Frosting:

With an electric mixer or food processor, beat together the butter, powdered sugar, maple syrup, and salt until smooth.  Spread on top of muffins to serve.

 Recipe Source: Somethingswanky.com

Picture Source: Lindsay Klindt