Pumpkin Muffins

 
It's October!  I love fall foods, and at least for me, an absolute autumn staple is pumpkin.  Roasting pumpkins, canned pumpkin, pumpkin seeds (you get the idea).  And I'll confess, I've even turned into a lover of pumpkin donuts and pumpkin lattes.  I can't help myself.     

But when it's getting late in the evening and I'm craving an autumnal treat, I turn to these super easy and delicious pumpkin muffins.  I *always* keep a can or two of pumpkin puree on hand (not pumpkin pie filling!), so these muffins quickly become a late-night snack, breakfast the following morning, and a midday sweet.  And I sprinkle mine with a cinnamon-sugar mix before I put them in the oven.  Delicious.

With the chilly air and crisp cornstalks around the worn out Virginia highways, I know it's close to harvest time.  So for these first days of October, here's Nick Drake's "Harvest Breed" from his final album, Pink Moon. 

Ingredients:
*adapted from Gourmet magazine
--1 1/4 c. pumpkin puree
--1/4 c. canola oil
--3 eggs
--1 tsp. vanilla
--1 c. granulated sugar
--1/4 c. light brown sugar
--1 1/2 c. flour
--1 tsp. baking powder
--1 tsp. baking soda
--1 tsp. ground cinnamon
--1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
--1/2 tsp. ground allspice
--1/2 tsp. ground cloves
--pinch of salt
+ 1 tbsp. granulated sugar and 2 tsp. ground cinnamon for topping (mix and set aside)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  

In a large bowl, beat eggs, sugars, canola oil, vanilla, and pumpkin until smooth.  In a separate bowl, sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt.  Slowly add to egg mixture while beating on low speed.  Once combined, pour batter into lined muffin cups so that they're between 2/3 and 3/4 full.  **Before putting them in the oven, sprinkle the cinnamon & sugar mix on top (once they're baked, this will become a sweet and crunchy topping).  

Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Enjoy (even hot out of the oven)!