QUICK PUMPKIN MUFFINS

This dairy-free recipe is a great workhorse; it can be made into muffins or loaves and jazzed up with all sorts of mix-ins – think chopped toasted nuts, rum-soaked raisins, dark chocolate chunks, chopped crystallised ginger. A ribbon of sweetened cream cheese and/or streusel topping (not dairy-free, see below) are especially delicious. The muffins also freeze beautifully.

2 cups cooked, mashed pumpkin (not too

watery)

4 eggs

1 cup neutral-flavoured oil

²⁄³ cup water

1½ cups white sugar

1½ cups brown sugar

3½ cups plain flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

1½ teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon ground ginger

½ teaspoon ground cloves

Heat oven to 180°C. In a large bowl whisk together pumpkin, eggs, oil, water and sugars. Sift dry ingredients over and mix until just combined. If adding any mix-ins such as chopped nuts or chocolate chunks, fold in now.

Pour batter into greased standard muffin tins (or 2 x 4-cup loaf tins lined with baking paper). If desired, fill with Cream Cheese Swirl and/or top with Streusel Topping (see below). Bake 20 minutes (50-60 minutes for loaves) until risen and firm. Makes 24 muffins or 2 loaves

CREAM CHEESE SWIRL

This recipe will make enough for two batches of muffins or two loaves.

250g cream cheese, softened 1 egg

¼ cup white sugar

1 tablespoon milk or orange juice Beat all ingredients together until smooth.

To use this mixture in muffins, fill muffin tins with muffin batter and drop a small spoonful of cream cheese mixture in the centre of each one. Push the mixture down a little; the batter will rise around it and bury it as it bakes.

To make a loaf “ribbon”, half-fill each loaf tin with batter then spoon the cream cheese mixture in rough dollops over the surface before covering with more batter.

STREUSEL TOPPING

50g butter

½ cup plain flour

¹⁄³ cup brown sugar

¹⁄³ cup rolled oats or chopped nuts 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Melt butter in a small bowl and mix in dry ingredients to make a crumbly mixture. Sprinkle over muffins or loaves before baking.