Pumpkin Muffins with Cream Cheese Icing and Coconut

Happy early Halloween everyone!

I made these pumpkin muffins a few days early JUST in case you were looking for that last minute pumpkin recipe before Halloween.

I'm sure some of you are pumpkin and apple'd out, but October is not over yet friends.
These pumpkin muffins are good for you, very filling, and full of spice. They are good for any occasion, and the cream cheese icing and shredded coconut add a very nice touch. I brought some for my sister and her boyfriend, and they each ate two on the spot.

I was in a festive mood, so I decorated a few with a Halloween theme.

This recipe yields 16-18 muffins.

Pumpkin Muffins
- 1 cup of whole wheat pastry flour, sifted
- 1/2 cup of all purpose flour, sifted
- 1 cup of brown sugar
- 1 tsp of baking powder
- 1/2 tsp of baking soda
- 1 tsp of cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp of nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp of all spice
- 1/4 tsp of ground clove
- 1 cup of pumpkin puree
- 1/2 cup of milk
- 1 egg
- 1/3 cup of vegetable oil
- 1 tsp of vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp fresh ginger, grated
- sweetened shredded coconut to garnish

Cream Cheese Icing- 1 (8oz, 250g) package of light cream cheese at room temperature
- 1/4 cup of butter at room temperature
- 1 cup of icing sugar
- 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract
- 1 vanilla pod

Method for Pumpkin Muffins with Cream Cheese Icing and Coconut

Make the Pumpkin Muffins:1. Preheat the oven to 350F/175C.

2. In one bowl, mix the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and dry spices together. In another bowl, mix the pumpkin, milk, egg, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, and ginger together. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, and mix well with a fork.

3. Line a muffin tray with baking cups. Spoon the muffin mixture into the baking cups until they are 3/4 full. Repeat until all the muffin mixture is used up.

4. Bake the muffins for 18-22 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside until they are fully cool.

Make the Cream Cheese Icing:
1. With an electric mixer on high speed, mix the butter and cream cheese until smooth.

2. Slowly add in the icing sugar while mixing.

3. Add the vanilla extract. Cut a vanilla pod in half, and scrape the vanilla seeds into the icing. Mix until evenly distributed.

Assemble the Muffin:
1. Using a butter knife, smear a thin layer of icing over top of the muffins.

2. Place the muffin on top of a plate, and sprinkle shredded coconut over top of the muffin until completely covered. Tip the muffin upside down to allow any loose coconut pieces to fall off.

Using low fat cream cheese for the icing will result in a slightly thinner consistency. If you want a think and creamy icing, it is best to use full fat cream cheese.

Here are some of the Halloween muffins I made:

For the next little while, you will have to excuse my posts. I have such a large backlog of travel posts, I'm not sure where to start and finish! I just got back from a short trip to Boston, so stay tuned for a mish mash of posts from Ottawa, Sydney, New Zealand, and Boston.

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Banana Pumpkin Pancakes

I had a few people over for breakfast, and made these awesome banana pumpkin pancakes. My friend E is obsessed with pancakes, and with a nickname like 'The Pancake King', you know he is a man who likes his pancakes.

And, when 'The Pancake King' tells you that your pancakes are the best pancakes he has ever had, you can't help but feel proud.

These pancakes are very filling, and the bananas add a nice touch of sweetness. I made some candied pecans to go with the pancakes, and it was a winning combo.

Although the spices seem more than plenty when reading the recipe, the spice taste is in fact very mild and not overpowering. Just try them, they seriously rock.

This recipe yields 6-10 pancakes (depending on size of pancakes).

Banana Pumpkin Pancakes
- 1/2 cup of all purpose flour, sifted
- 1/2 cup of whole wheat pastry flour, sifted
- 1/4 cup of packed brown sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground or freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 large pinch of ground cloves
- 1 large pinch of all spice
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/3 cup of pumpkin puree
- 1 Tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 tsp freshly grated ginger
- 1 egg
- 1 cup of milk
- 1 medium banana, cut into slices or small pieces

Method
1. In a bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients and mix well. In another bowl, combine the olive oil, pumpkin puree, ginger, egg, and milk and mix well.

2. Add the wet ingredients to the bowl of dry ingredients, and mix until smooth. Add the bananas, and mix with a spoon until the bananas are evenly distributed throughout the batter.

3. Heat a lightly greased skillet on medium heat. With a small ladle or large spoon, scoop the batter onto the pan (about 4 inches diameter), and heat until the top begins to bubble or until you can flip the pancake without making a mess. Heat the other side until golden brown. Repeat Step 3 until the batter is used up.

Pancakes

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