Yeshiva week, the midwinter vacation enjoyed equally by students and teachers mainly in North America, took place this past week. Our children in Minneapolis shared the fun and paid us a visit in Toronto. They all commented on the balmy weather which hovered around thirty degrees Fahrenheit, a marked improvement over the icy temperatures that dipped below zero in their hometown. I cooked up a veritable feast in spite of being cautioned that certain young gentlemen adhered to a very strict mono diet: cream cheese on whole wheat bread, no crust, thank you. Can’t say that I wasn’t warned.
Pumpkin ‘n’ Spice Muffins
Our time together ended much too quickly and on our last morning together I got up early to send everyone off with a hearty breakfast. Alas, I couldn’t compete with Cap’n Crunch cereal or Sobey’s chocolate sprinkle donuts. But not daunted, I pulled out my mixing bowl and in thirty minutes there were a dozen pumpkin ‘n’ spice muffins ready to be slipped into their carry-ons and knapsacks. This recipe by Susan Purdy is published in her classic cookbook, The Family Baker. Prepared in just minutes, these moist, lightly spiced muffins are a perfect lunch-box treat and are also wonderful warmed for breakfast or a midafternoon pick-me-up. 
Assemble your ingredients. Be sure to use plain canned pumpkin puree for this recipe and NOT pumpkin pie filling. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat it to 400 F. Line a muffin pan with muffin papers or spray it with cooking spray.
In a large bowl whisk together the eggs, milk, oil, pumpkin, and sugar. In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, salt and spices.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Add the nuts then mix everything together until just combined. Do not overbeat.
Using a spring loaded ice cream scoop if you have one, divide the batter among the muffin cups, filling them to the top. Mix the topping ingredients and sprinkle it on the muffins. Bake for 20 minutes until they are golden brown and a cake tester inserted in the middle of a muffin comes out clean. Allow the muffins to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then lift them out of the pan and transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Pumpkin 'n' Spice Muffins
Moist, tender, but not too sweet, pumpkin muffins that are fragrant with fall spices. No mixer required!
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup milk, dairy or plant milk
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup plain pumpkin puree, canned
- 1/2 cup granulated or packed light brown sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans or craisins
- Topping
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat it to 400 F. Line a muffin pan with muffin papers or spray the cavities with cooking spray.
In a large bowl whisk together the eggs, milk, oil, pumpkin, and sugar. In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, salt and spices. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Add the nuts (or craisins if you prefer) then mix everything together until just combined. Do not overbeat.
Using a spring loaded ice cream scoop if you have one, divide the batter among the muffin cups, filling them to the top. Mix the topping ingredients and sprinkle it on the muffins. Bake for 20 minutes until they are golden brown and a cake tester inserted in the middle of a muffin comes out clean. Allow the muffins to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then lift them out of the pan and transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Muffins can be kept at room temperature in a resealable bag or container for 2 or 3 days. They can also be double-wrapped and frozen for up to 2 months.
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