Pumpkin Muffins

Sugar pumpkins have come and gone from the supermarket, but you can still make these sweet, spiced muffins with the help of canned pumpkin.  The muffins are equally as good for breakfast as they are packed for dessert in a brown bag lunch.

Ingredients:

• 2 and 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup vegan sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 3/4 cup vegan sour cream*
• 1/3 cup plain non-dairy milk
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 Ener-G eggs
• Cooking spray
• 1 tablespoon vegan sugar
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons vegan brown sugar

1. Lightly spoon the flour into dry measuring cups and level with a knife.  Combine the flour in a large bowl with 1 cup sugar, the baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.  Make a well in the center of the mixture and set aside.

2. In a second bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, sour cream, milk, canola oil, vanilla, and Ener-G eggs.  Add the pumpkin mixture to the flour mixture, stirring just until moist.

3. Divide the batter evenly among 18 muffin cups coated with cooking spray (I like to use an ice cream scoop for this purpose, so you know you are dividing the batter evenly).  In a small bowl, combine the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar and the brown sugar; sprinkle evenly over the muffins.

4. Bake at 375 degrees until the muffins spring back when touched lightly in the center.  I pulled mine from the oven at 16 minutes, though the original recipe I was following said 25 minutes, so monitor things accordingly if you want to avoid hard, burnt muffins.  Immediately remove from the pans and cool on a wire rack. 

I enjoyed serving the muffins as part of a "bento box" lunch with everything packed in separate compartments - chickpea patties, cubed cantaloupe, spaghetti squash, and a little muffin for dessert.

*I recommend We Can't Say It's Sour Cream from Wayfare Foods for this recipe.  Although not my favorite vegan sour cream for topping tacos or baked potatoes (that honor goes to Vegan Gourmet), the Wayfare Foods' version is my go-to sour cream for low-fat baking.

Nutrition Info:
18 servings (1 muffin), Calories 164 

Tasting Notes:
There was great pumpkin flavor to these cute little muffins, and I loved the tender texture of the muffin in contrast to the crunch of the sugary topping.  I'd increase the spices next time, and perhaps use a mix like pumpkin pie spice instead of just cinnamon. Wonderful warm for breakfast.

Rating:
3.5