Pumpkin & Ginger Muffins II

After the first batch of ultimately displeasing pumpkin & ginger muffins, I knew a better batch was eventually going to get made. Something chock full of both pumpkin and ginger that exemplifies fall (okay, and spring in the case of the ginger, but let's be real here, ginger is a fall flavor).

These are definitely better than the first batch, but they still aren't perfect. The pumpkin taste is just not there, even though the ginger is just right in my book. It creates a decent pop in texture and a not-too-harsh tingle in your throat. My goal is to get the opinion of someone who has a more refined palette than I to see what he thinks. I'll let you know how that works out.

The recipe I worked with was from Crumbly Cookie. Aside from slight changes, I doubled it because a batch of eight? Is just not enough.

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Pumpkin & Ginger Muffins

2 c flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp ground ginger

1 c candied ginger

2 eggs

1/2 + 1/8 c packed brown sugar

1 1/4 c pureed pumpkin

6 tbsp butter, melted

4 tbsp milk

Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ground ginger and cinnamon and candied ginger together in large bowl. In separate bowl, whisk together sugar and egg until combined. Whisk in pumpkin, butter and milk. Add pumpkin mixture to flour mixture and fold in until just combined. Bake for 20-22 minutes at 350 degrees. Makes 16.

Pumpkin & Ginger Muffins (500 Cupcakes)

Oddly enough, the first recipe I chose to try from my 500 Cupcakes book was a muffin, which is not a cupcake. NOT a cupcake. This was the first non-cupcakey muffin I've had...maybe ever. That's partially why I wanted to make these. The other reason was because it's autumn (even though the snow is already here) and using pumpkin in some form is damn near obligatory.

That being said, I didn't particularly like these muffins. There was no discernible pumpkin flavor, there was no punchy ginger taste. Color me disappointed. Here's the recipe regardless:

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Pumpkin & Ginger Muffins:

2 2/3 c flour
1/3 c packed brown sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp ground ginger
pinch of salt
1 lightly beaten egg
1/2 c pureed pumpkin, fresh or canned
3/4 c milk (they call for low-fat, which I didn't use)
1/3 c vegetable oil (they call for sunflower, which I didn't have)
3 tbsp candied ginger
4 tbsp pumpkin seeds (which I also didn't use, because frankly, ew)

Mix dry ingredients together in medium bowl. Beat together egg, pumpkin, milk and oil until well combined. Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and mix until nearly combined. Fold in candied ginger. Sprinkle seeds on top of batter after you've spooned in into liners. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes. Makes 12 muffins.

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