Moist Pumpkin Spice Muffins

Muffins:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces

1 heaping cup pumpkin puree*

1/2 cup evaporated milk

1 egg

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

1/2 cup golden raisins (optional!)*

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Generously grease 12 muffin tins.

Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt. Cut in butter with two knives or a pastry blender until all incorporated. In a separate bowl, mix together pumpkin, evaporated milk, egg, and vanilla. Pour pumpkin mixture into the flour mixture. Add raisins.

Fold gently until mixture is just combined. Pour into greased muffin pan—batter hardly ever fills all twelve unless you keep it down to 1/2 full. Sprinkle generous amounts of cinnamon-sugar over the top of each unbaked muffin.

Bake for 25 minutes. Allow to cool in pan for 15 minutes, then remove and allow to cool. Ice with cream cheese frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

1/4 cup softened butter

4 ounces cream cheese

1/2 pound powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Mix all ingredients on high until soft and whipped. Spread onto completely cooled muffins, or place into a large pastry bag with a large star tip and go crazy!

The entire credit for this delicious recipe goes to Pioneer Woman. (Her photos are much more inspirational than mine too.) Next up - her truffle recipe!

*NOTES:

• I doubled the recipe and used one 15-ounce can of pumpkin. A double recipe made 48 mini muffins + 5 regular sized ones.
• I always have regular raisins, but seldom have golden raisins. This substitution was fine.
• Since I doubled the muffins, it seemed logical to double the frosting, right? Wrong! The recipe as written would've been more than enough to pipe a generous star on each of my minis.
• I forgot to sprinkle the cinnamon/sugar on before baking. Also fine.
• As promised, these were delish for breakfast and dessert. Thanksgiving brunch? Perfect!