Gentle Readers, sometimes one must resort to trickery in pushing a vegetable agenda. The Practical Cook is not above such tactics, she calls it “marketing.” There are two important things to remember: Cream Cheese Frosting covers all sins, and antlers sell anything during the holiday season.
One of these pumpkin muffins is not like the other.
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Muffin Recipe
These are cakey muffins, not light ones. They are basically canned pumpkin held together by a bit of flour, spiced and sweetened. Adapted from Gourmet. Makes ~ 1 dozen muffins.
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 15-oz can solid-pack pumpkin (the plain stuff, not the pie mix)
2 to 3 Tablespoons flax seed meal
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
healthy 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (you know I recommend Trader Joe’s blend for this, don’t skimp)
3/4 cup suagar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1. Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put muffin liners in muffin cups.
2. Whisk flours and baking powder together in a small bowl.
3. Whisk pumpkin, flax seed meal, oil, eggs, spice, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl until smooth. Whisk in flour mixture till just combined.
4. Divide batter between muffin cups. Bake until just done (light brown, not shaking in the pan), and a toothpick comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes.
5. Cool in pan on a rack for 5 minutes, then de-pan and cool completely. Frost with Cream Cheese Frosting.
6. Decorate with broken pretzel pieces for antlers, a dried cranberry nose, and raisin eyes. (Better still, make this a group project for those eating said muffins.) Consume.
Rudolph the Red Nosed Muffin, Won't You Guide My Snack Tonight?
They are practically a health food. You can thank me later.
Are you a pumpkin fan? A reindeer fan? Post a comment below!
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December didn’t get the memo to slow down, because tomorrow it’s time for Weekly Menus again!
The Practical Cook 