Sara's Pumpkin Muffins

RECIPE FOR PUMPKIN MUFFINS
From Gourmet November 2006
Adapted from the American Club
Makes 1 dozen
Active time: 15 min.
Start to finish: 1 hour



INGREDIENTS:
1.5 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup canned solid-pack pumpking (from a 15-oz can) (I accidentally put the entire 15 oz. can in, with no ill effects at all)
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1 tsp pumpkin-pie spice (a combo of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, and allspice)
1.25 cups plus 1 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
Equipment: 12 foil or paper muffin liners; a muffin pan with 12 (1/2-cup) muffin cups



DIRECTIONS:
Put oven rack in middle positiona nd preheat oven toe 350F. Put liners in muffin cups.
Whisk together flour and baking powder in a small bowl.
Whisk together pumpkin, oil, eggs, pumpkin-pie spice, 1.25 cups sugar, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl until smooth, then whisk in flour mixture until just combined.
Stir together cinnamon and remaining 1 tablespoon sugar in another bowl.
Divide batter among muffin cups (each should be about 3/4 full), then spinkle tops with cinnamon-sugar mixture. Bake until puffed and golden brown and a wodden pick or skewer inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes.

Cool in pan on a rack 5 minutes, then transfer muffins from pan to rack and cool to warm or room temperature

Taunya's Birthday Cake recipe

This is a cake entender recipe.  You add the following ingredients in addition to all that is already listed on the cake box.  I've only used it with a white and yellow cake mix so far but I think it is supposed to work for most cake mixes.  We thought it made thecake taste better.

 

1 cup flour

1 cup sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. baking powder

1 egg

1/2 cup water

1/2 package pudding (flavor of your choice)

 

Here is a recipe for a great buttercream icing.  It is fabulous for decorating.  It actually called for a lot more shortening then I like so this recipe is my altered recipe.  Before I reduced the amount of shortening it left a film of shortening in our mouth after every bite.  Yuck!  My kids and Jonny actually really like the flavor of this icing. 

 

2 sticks butter, room temperature

1 cup shortening

3/4 tsp. butter flavoring ( you can get this at Michael's or Walmart in the cake decorating section)

1 tsp. vanilla (I use Wilton's clear vanilla)

1/4 tsp. almond extract

2 pounds powdered sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

Water as needed (I usually end up using around 2 tablespoons or so)

 

Combine butter, shortening, and salt.  Mix about 5 minutes on low.  Add almond, butter and vanilla extracts.  Mix together well.  Add powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time and mix well.  Add water as needed. 

 

Another tip:  If you are frosting a cake, do a crumb coat first.  This means to do a quick frosting, nothing pretty, then put the cakein the freezer for about an hour.  This will seal in the crumbs so when you do your final coat of frosting the crumbs will not mix in. 

 

Wednesday Breakfast: Baked-oats

One of my very favorite breakfasts. We like to make it the night before, add a little extra milk, cover the bowl and put it in the fridge. But it can be made right before with no problems.

3 cups rolled oats
1/2 to 3/4 white sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp salt

Mix.
Add...
1 cup milk
2 tsp vanilla
2 beaten eggs
1/4 c butter, melted
zest of one orange

Mix.
Preheat oven to 350. Spread into a greased jelly roll pan (small cookie sheet OR 9x13 or larger glass pan. Just depends on your desired thickness) Bake 15-18 min.

Serve hot or cold. With milk or not. And snack on it all day, or morning rather. It won't last.