If someone asked me if I liked pumpkin I'd probably say no...but I would be wrong. I always picture the slimey insides of a carved pumpkin, the orange, stringy flesh which makes my stomach turn...but given some time to think about it, I start to remember the many, many wonderful dishes/foods I've made with pumpkin...and then it hits me, I LOVE pumpkin! I have recipes on this blog for pumpkin cookies, pie, pasta, scones, bread, soup and muffins...but this recipe is different from the other pumpkin recipes - it's got buttermilk to make it smooth and molasses to give it depth - it's just richer, denser, and definitely more delectable!
Last night on Boston Legal, a muffin made a cameo appearance..yes, a muffin. One of the attorneys threw a muffin at a man, slightly injuring him. While it was not a pumpkin muffin, at least, not that I could tell, it was rather large and considering it hit with a thud I assumed it was also very dense...one of these pumpkin muffins would have been perfect in that starring role! But while I suggest, no, plead with you to make these muffins, I would not suggest you throw them or try to use them in any sort of altercation...they are meant for eating, not flinging!
The original recipe calls for walnuts but I made these muffins for someone who hates nuts, probably because she IS nuts, in a nice way, of course. So I left them out...you'll notice though that only the tops are decorated with chocolate chips - I just couldn't resist - chocolate and pumpkin go hand and hand like a hand in hand...but feel free to omit them or add more to the batter or even think about adding dates, dried cranberries, currants or raisins - all equally as good.
Pumpkin Muffins - Adapted from Gourmet Magazine, November 1997 from the Sherburne Inn on Nantucket
1 stick unsalted butter
3/4 cup canned solid-pack pumpkin
1/4 cup well-shaken buttermilk
2 large eggs
3 tablespoons unsulfured molasses
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cups chopped dates, raisins, dried cranberries, currants, chocolate chips - optional
3/4 cups chopped walnuts - optional
Preheat oven to 400 degrees and grease twelve 1/2-cup muffin cups. Melt butter and cool slightly. In a bowl whisk together butter, pumpkin, buttermilk, eggs, molasses and vanilla. Into a large bowl sift together flours, baking powder, spices, salt and baking soda and whisk in brown sugar. Make a well in center of flour mixture and add pumpkin mixture, stirring just until combined. Stir in fruit, nuts or chips, if using, and divide batter among cups. (Or sprinkle desired toppings on top of muffins.) Bake muffins in middle of oven 20 to 25 minutes or until puffed and a tester comes out clean. Cool muffins in cups 5 minutes and turn out onto a rack. Serve muffins warm or at room temperature. Makes 12 muffins.
"Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly." Robert F. Kennedy
