Pumpkin, chocolate and Cheddar muffins

By jeenikeen

Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 2/3 cup (160 ml) brown sugar
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) unsalted butter, melted
• 1 cup (250 ml) homemade or store-bought pumpkin purée
• 2/3 cup (160 ml) milk
• 1/2 tsp (2 ml) pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup (250 ml) wheat bran
• 1 cup (250 ml) quick-cooking oat flakes
• 1 1/2 cups (375 ml) unbleached flour
• 2 tsp (10 ml) baking powder
• 1 tsp (5 ml) baking soda
• 1/2 cup (125 ml) bittersweet chocolate chips or chunks
• 3/4 cup (180 ml) Canadian Mild Cheddar, diced
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cooking Time: 25 - 35 mins
• Yields 12 to 16 muffins

Details

Servings 12
Preparation time 20mins
Cooking time 55mins
Adapted from dairygoodness.ca

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350oF (180oC).

In a bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the eggs with the brown sugar.

Add melted butter, pumpkin purée, milk and vanilla extract.

In a large bowl, mix remaining ingredients and make a well in the centre.

Pour liquid ingredients into the well and mix just until combined.

Divide batter into a muffin pan, greased and floured, or use paper muffin cups.

Bake in oven for 25–30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean.

Note:

To make homemade pumpkin purée:

Wash exterior of pumpkin and cut in half. Remove seeds and fibrous parts. Cut into large chunks.
Put pumpkin chunks, with peel facing up, in an oven-safe dish.
Bake in an oven preheated to 350°F (180°C) for about 1 hour or until tender.
Using a spoon, remove flesh and thoroughly drain. Discard peel. In a food processor, blend pumpkin flesh to a purée.
Approximately 1 lb (450 g) of pumpkin yields about 1 cup (250 ml) of purée.

Purée can be frozen and kept for several months.


For a delicious variation, replace pumpkin purée with apple or banana purée