I’ve certainly never been diagnosed with seasonal affective disorder but I realize that I become increasingly irritable and melancholy in August in anticipation for Fall and then again just after Halloween when we change the clocks and it’s dark at 5pm.
Winter in Paris would be far more tolerable were there more sunny days. I can handle the cold, not the perennial grayness. The only thing that saves me from unshakable mopey- madness all season is the much-anticipated arrival of pumpkin treats. Yes, this fiber-rich veggie is more than a healthy snack – it provides just the comfort I need to lift my spirits through the long winter and I have a feeling it will work for you as well. Although pumpkin spice lattes are just a little too exotic for French taste and therefore inexistent, I’ve been fortunate enough to get my fix elsewhere. Straight from my kitchen!
What’s so great about pumpkin is its versatility – you can easily slice pieces of pumpkin, throw some olive oil and spices on them and throw them in the oven for pumpkin fries or take puréed pumpkin and make pumpkin soup. But being the gourmande that I am, I typically spring for something sweet. These pumpkin muffins were perfect for a spooky Halloween weekend and will be a returning guest in our apartment well beyond Thanksgiving and into the New Year.
What you’ll need
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 cup canned solid-pack pumpkin – or 1 cup fresh pumpkin purée
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon ginger
1 1/4 cups (plus an additional tablespoon sugar for later)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1.5 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
What to do
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and put liners in muffin cups, no need to butter them.
Whisk together pumpkin, oil, eggs, 1 1/4 cups sugar, nutmeg and ginger, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl until smooth, then stir in the flour until well blended. In another bowl, mix together the cinnamon and extra tablespoon of sugar.
Divide batter among muffin cups, no more than half full, and sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture on top as a final touch. Bake until puffed and slightly golden brown or until a wooden toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center - 25 to 30 minutes.
Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes before removing them to cool completely on a wire rack until about room temperature. Cat and spider decorations optional.
Note: If you’re more of a cupcake fan, add a little cream cheese frosting on top of these muffins for an even sweeter taste.
Bon app’!
Photo © Lindsey Tramuta for BitchBuzz. You can check out more of her photos on her Flickr stream.