Pumpkin Muffins

By darleneandjoel

Even better with butter, orange marmelade, or apricot jam.

From Dorie Greenspan, Baking from my home to yours

Ingredients

• 2 cups ap flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/8 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• Pinch of ground allspice
• 1 stick (8tbsp) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup (packed) light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup canned unsweetened pumpkin puree
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup moist, plump golden raisins
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
• 1/3 About 1/3 cup unsalted raw sunflower seeds for topping or pepitas

Details

Servings 12

Preparation

Step 1

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Butter or spray the 12 molds in a regular size muffin tin.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and spices.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably one fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter until soft. Add both sugars and continue to beat until light and smooth. One by one, add the eggs, beating for a minute until the eggs are incorporated, then beat in the vanilla. Lower the mixer speed and mix in the pumpkin and buttermilk. With the mixer at low speed, add the dry ingredients in a steady stream, mixing only unitl they disappear. To avoid overmixing, you can stop the machine early and stir any remaining dry ingredients into the batter using a spatula. Stir in the raisins and nuts. Divide evenly among the muffin cups and sprinkle a few sunflower or pepita seeds over the top of each muffin.

Bake for about 25 minutes, or until a thin knife inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool the muffins for 5 minutes in the pan, then carefully remove each one from its mold and finish cooling on the rack.