Amazing Pumpkin Muffins

Submitted by Jessica Guinan

3 1/3c. flour
2 tsp baking soda
3c sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ginger
1c. oil
4 eggs
2/3 c. water
2c pumpkin (or 1 15oz can will do)

Preheat oven to 350. Sift or whisk together dry ingerdients. In a separate bowl, combine wet ingredients. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour wet ingredients in. Mix until just combined and place in prepared muffin tins. Bake 20-30 minutes. This time, the recipe yielded 31 muffins but a lot of mine were filled almost to the top. You could probably get close to 40 by filling them a little more than half. :)

Favorite Vanilla Muffins

Submitted by Jessica Guinan
From Carole Walter's book Great Coffee Cakes, Sticky Buns, Muffins & More

1 1/2 cups flour, spooned in & leveled off
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 c. (1 stick) unsalted butter, slightly firm
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 c. granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 c. sour cream
3-4 tsp sparkling sugar (I used sanding sugar from Williams Sonoma)

Heat the oven to 375 and line a muffin tin with cupcake liners. In a large bowl, thoroughly whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Set aside. Cut the butter into 1" pieces and place in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add the vanilla & mix on medium speed until smooth & lightened in color, about 1 minute. (Have faith! I didn't think this would work at first either! Never doubt Carole...) Add the granulated sugar in 4 additions and mix for 1 minute longer. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Blend in the eggs, one at a time, and mix for another minute. Reduce the mixer speed to low & add the flour mixture alternately with the sour cream, dividing the dry ingredients into 2 parts, starting & ending with the flour. Mix just until blended after each addition. Portion the batter into the pan using approximately 1/4 c. mix per cup. Sprinkle the top of each muffin with about 1/4 tsp of the sparkling sugar. Bake for 23-25 minutes or until the muffins are golden brown and the tops are springy to the touch. To ensure even baking, halfway through, rotate the pans front to back.

Classic Bran Muffins

Submitted by Jessica Guinan
From Allrecipes

1 1/2 c. wheat bran
1 c. buttermilk
1/3 c. canola oil
1 egg
2/3 c. brown sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 c. flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 c. raisins

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prepare muffin tins. Mix together wheat bran and buttermilk and let stand for 10 minutes. Beat together oil, egg, sugar and vanilla and add to buttermilk mixture. Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Stir flour mixture into buttermilk mixture until just blended. Fold in raisins and spoon batter into tins. Bake 15 to 20 minutes.

Sugar & Spice Muffins

Submitted by Jessica Guinan

1 3/4c. flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/3 c. canola oil
3/4 c. sugar
1 egg
3/4 c. milk
Coating: 1/2 c. butter
3/4 c. sugar
1 to 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350. Combine flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg in a bowl. In a separate bowl, combine oil, sugar, egg and milk. Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour wet ingredients in. Stir until just combined. Bake 20-25 minutes or until tester comes out clean. Before serving, melt butter for coating and brush on top of muffin. Combine sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle on top.