recipe: pumpkin swirl brownies

The swirls of orange pumpkin & dark chocolate make this treat perfect for Halloween!

Pumpkin Swirl Brownies

Ingredients for the pumpkin mixture...

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/4 cups pumpkin puree

1/4 cup vegetable oil

Ingredients for the brownie mixture...

1 stick butter 

1 cup white sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tbsp. vanilla

3/4 cup flour

1/2 cup cocoa powder

pinch of salt

Directions...

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9x13 pan or spray it liberally with vegetable oil.

Start by making the pumpkin batter: Whisk the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg & salt in a small bowl and set aside. In a mixing bowl, beat the sugar, eggs, vanilla, pumpkin puree & vegetable oil until combined. Mix the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture.

Now, make the brownie batter:  In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add both sugars and mix. Remove from heat. Add eggs and vanilla, mix thoroughly. Then, add the flour & cocoa and mix until well combined.

Now you are ready to layer the pumpkin & brownie batters into the prepared pan... Start by smoothing half of brownie batter into the pan. Then smooth half of pumpkin mixture on top of the brownie layer. Repeat to make one more brownie layer and one more pumpkin layer. Try to work quickly so batters will not set.

With a table knife, gently swirl the two batters to create a marbled effect. 

If you'd like, sprinkle with chopped walnuts.

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes. Allow to cool in pan & then cut into squares & serve!

Yumm!

{recipe} pumpkin doughnut muffins

Pumpkin Doughnut Muffin 

with maple cream cheese frosting

To make the Pumpkin Doughnut Muffins...

3 cups All-purpose Flour

2 1/2 teaspoons Baking Powder

1/4 teaspoon Baking Soda

1 teaspoon Coarse Salt

1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg

1 teaspoon Cinnamon

1/3 cup Buttermilk

1 1/4 cups Pumpkin Puree

1 3/4 sticks Unsalted Butter

3/4 cup Brown Sugar

2 Eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Butter and flour 12 standard muffin cups or use cupcake liners.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, & cinnamon.

In a small bowl, mix together the pumpkin and buttermilk. Set both mixtures aside.

Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and brown sugar. 

Add the eggs, one at a time, scraping bowl as needed.

With the mixer on low, add flour mixture in three additions, alternating with two additions pumpkin mixture. Mix until combined.

Fill each muffin cup with the batter so that is is ¾ of the way full. Bake for about 30 minutes.

To make the Maple Cream Cheese Frosting...
4 oz. Cream Cheese
1/2 stick Unsalted Butter
2 cups Confectioner's Sugar
1/4 cup Pure Maple Syrup

Mix all ingredients together, using an electric mixer, until the texture is smooth & creamy.
Frost cupcakes. Top with a drizzle of maple syrup & a baked apple chip.


* * *
This time, I wanted to try a maple cream cheese frosting...
but a Maple-Cinnamon Glaze is also perfect for these!!


To make a Maple-Cinnamon Glaze...
1-2 tablespoons Maple Syrup
1-2 cups Confectioner's Sugar
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
1-2 teaspoons Milk

Whisk these ingredients together until it is smooth & the desired thickness.
If it is too thick, add more Milk. If it is too thin, add more Confectioner's Sugar.
Top each muffin with 1-2 layers of the glaze.


Oh how, I love the flavors of fall!!

blueberry doughnut muffins

Everyone in my family has a love for lemon-berry recipes... Maybe you have noticed from some of the recipes 

I have made before, like these or these. Well, this time I wanted to make baked blueberry doughnuts, 

but I don't have a doughnut baking pan, so I decided to make blueberry doughnut muffins.

They are the perfect blend between a baked doughnut & a muffin. They are light, fluffy & so yummy!!!

Blueberry Doughnut Muffins

Ingredients...

¼ cup Butter

¼ cup Vegetable Oil

½ cup Sugar

1/3 cup Brown Sugar

2 Eggs

2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract

2 2/3 All-Purpose Flour

1 ½ teaspoons Baking Powder

¼ teaspoon Baking Soda

1 teaspoon Cinnamon

½ teaspoon Salt

1 cup Milk

1 1/3 cup Fresh Blueberries

Ingredients for the Lemon Glaze...

1 cup Powdered Sugar

1 Lemon, zested & juiced

Directions...

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line muffin pans with baking liners. 

Mix together the butter, oil, sugar & brown sugar until creamy and smooth.

Mix in the eggs & vanilla. 

In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, salt & cinnamon.

Alternately mix in the milk and the flour mixture three times, starting and ending with the flour mixture. 

Gently fold in the blueberries. Scoop the batter into the baking liners, filling them 3/4 of the way.

Bake the muffins for 15-18 minutes, until they are golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.

Allow muffins to cool.

To make the lemon glaze... 

Put the powdered sugar & lemon zest in a bowl.

Gradually whisk in the lemon juice until the glaze is the desired thickness.

If the glaze is too thin, add more powdered sugar. If it is too thick, add a little bit of lemon juice or water.

Whisk until the glaze is smooth.

Once the muffins are cool, spoon 1-2 coats of the glaze on the top of each muffin.

Allow the glaze to harden before serving.

Enjoy!