Most of us will have an abundance of pumpkin this time of year and what better way to use it than in a yummy pumpkin muffin recipe. I don’t like pumpkin just as it is (although I do love many other squash varieties). I think it is that scraping out all the pulp when carving a pumpkin that puts me off. But in a sweet form where you can’t really see the pumpkin other than the lovely colour it gives, it is yummy.

Pumpkin Muffins

Makes approx 12 muffins

Ingredients

• 1 cup of all purpose flour
• 1 cup of pumpkin puree (fresh or tinned) *not the pie filling stuff, as that is packed with sugar etc
• 2 teaspoons of baking powder
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon of ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla essence
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup of vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup of brown sugar (optional) – if not using sugar I suggest adding about the same quantity of apple sauce just for a little sweetness.

Directions

Preheat oven to 200c or 400f (gas mark 6)

Sift the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg into a bowl.

Mix together the eggs, pumpkin puree, sugar, oil and vanilla extract.

Fold mixture into your flour until all ingredients are combined.

Spoon into twelve muffins cases and  bake in the oven until slightly golden (approx 20 mins). A wooden skewer entered through the centre should come out clean.

Allow to cool in muffin tin and then transfer to a wired rack.

For variation, you could also try adding some raisins to the mixture.