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Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2009

Recipe: Chocolate Muffins with Pumpkin Frosting

(adapted from www.tastykitchen.com)

Muffin ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup cocoa (I prefer Dutch process cocoa)

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 sticks (1 Cup) unsalted butter, room temperature

3 cups sugar

5 whole eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup buttermilk

Pumpkin frosting ingredients:

1 stick butter, softened

8 ounces, weight cream cheese

3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ginger

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 cups pumpkin puree

Preparation instructions

Directions for muffins/cake:

Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease muffin pans or line with paper liners.

Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

In a separate bowl, cream the butter, then add the sugar and beat until fluffy.

On medium speed, add one egg at a time to the butter sugar mixture. Don't over-beat, just mix enough to blend well.

Add vanilla and mix.

Alternate adding flour/cocoa mixture and buttermilk until combined. Mix well on medium speed for about 30 seconds until smooth.

Fill muffin tins halfway.

Bake at 325° F for 15 to 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Be VERY careful not to over-bake these.

Let muffins cool in the muffin pan for about 2 minutes and carefully remove to cool on a rack. (Go ahead and eat one while they're hot. You need to test it, anyway.)

(Note: This cake recipe also works well for 2 loaf pans. Split batter between 2 greased loaf pans and cook for approximately 65 minutes at 325° F or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.)

Pumpkin frosting directions:

In a bowl, beat butter and cream cheese together until smooth.

Add all other frosting ingredients and mix together on medium speed. Add more powdered sugar or cream cheese for a thicker consistency if desired.

Note: this frosting is also delicious on cinnamon rolls!