Pumpkin Muffins

We have food allergies in our house.  Saying it was challenging at first is a bit of an understatement but we adapt, learn and grow.  I learned how to cook (still don't love it but I do it daily and some things turn out yummy I've been told).  I learned to adapt recipes to replace the eggs and dairy.  Our whole family has adopted a new diet: a weird mix of vegan, vegetarian, real food and otherwise far healthier than we ate prior to our food allergy "blessing."

Sometimes when we share our treats with other people, no one guesses that it's dairy free, egg free and usually cooked from real food ingredients.  A frequent recipe request is for the pumpkin muffins that we often share at MOPS, preschool or even birthday parties as pumpkin cupcakes when topped with a little cream cheese flavored icing.  If you're looking for a dairy free version of cream cheese icing.  Check out the Pillsbury Easy Frost, cream cheese flavor but no dairy.  Don't read the ingredients though.  The level of chemicals is extreme but dairy free icing options are pretty limited.  Everything in moderation, my friends.

Want a little Fall yumminess?  Gather up your ingredients:

2/3 cup butter (Earth Balance if you're vegan or dairy free works great, Smart Balance Light will work too)
1 1/2 cups sugar (I use Turbinado Raw Sugar but I'm going to experiment with honey and maple sugar soon)
1 can pumpkin
1 cup orange juice
1/3 cup vegetable oil, 1/3 cup water and 3 teaspoons baking powder, mixed together (I'll explain more later)
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon (make them heaping teaspoons!)
2 teaspoons ground cloves (a little extra too if you want)
4 cups whole wheat flour

Start with creaming together butter and sugar.

An adorable helper is required of course!  Next add the pumpkin, orange juice, 1 tablespoon baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and cloves.  Mix it all up until it's well combined.  

In a separate small bowl or measuring cup mix together the oil, water and 3 teaspoons baking powder.  This is your egg.  Be precise in your measurements here.  And pour this one in yourself.  If your adorable little helper misses the bowl, your muffins will be horrible.  Not that I know from experience or that I fed those nasty muffins to a house full new friends before tasting them myself.  Anyway, just take my word for it.  I'm sure there's some scientific explanation for the balance of ingredients but since I don't get the science behind cooking then I have no clue why it has to be precise.  Don't try to explain it to me.  My eyes will glaze over as I stare into space, just ask my husband.

Combine it all together again.  Add the 4 cups of whole wheat flour last.  This recipe makes a big batch of batter so its easier to combine it all if you add the flour last.

I usually make a dozen large muffins and a loaf of pumpkin bread with this recipe but bake it up however you like.  Mini muffins are perfect for sharing with a group.  Bake muffins and mini muffins at 350.  I bake the loaves at 325.  Any higher and it doesn't bake evenly, drying out the tops and sides before the inside gets done.

I added some pumpkin seeds to the top of this batch.  Yummy!

Mini muffins bake for about 12 minutes, muffins around 17, and bread for about 40.  Test with a toothpick for doneness.  Any version freezes well.

The smell of pumpkin muffins in the oven just feels like Fall, even if it is still 90+ outside!

This one's for you MM :)