Moist Pumpkin Spice Muffins

Ingredients

• Muffin Ingredients:
• 1 cup All-purpose Flour
• ½ cups Sugar
• 2 teaspoons Baking Powder
• 1-½ teaspoon Cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoons Ground Ginger
• ½ teaspoons Nutmeg
• ½ teaspoons Salt
• 4 Tablespoons Butter, cut into pieces
• 1 cup (heaping) Pumpkin Puree
• ½ cups Evaporated Milk
• 1 whole Egg
• 1-½ teaspoon Vanilla
• ½ cups Golden Raisins (optional!)
• _____
• Topping
• 2 Tablespoons Sugar
• 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoons Nutmeg
• _____
• FOR FROSTING:
• ¼ cups Softened Butter
• 4 ounces, weight Cream Cheese
• ½ pounds Powdered Sugar
• ½ teaspoons Vanilla

Preparation Instructions

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 it is fully 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 a greased muffin pan—batter hardly ever fills all twelve unless you keep it down to 1/2 full. Sprinkle with remaining cinnamon-sugar-nutmeg mixture 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.

To make the frosting, mix all ingredients on high until soft and whipped (or do like me and just buy the already made frosting).  Spread onto completely cooled muffins, or place into a large pastry bag with a large star tip and go crazy! Store in the fridge, as icing will soften at room temperature.

It's almost the middle of September and here in Virginia you start feeling the chill in the mornings, one can keep their windows open all night as the cool fresh air comes through.  I love absolutely love it!  I also love the aromas Fall brings especially the pumpkin spicy kind that come from the kitchen.  Pioneer Woman tempted me with this recipe and I couldn't wait to get home to make it.  I had to stop by the store to buy the pumpkin puree and much to my dismay, THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANY!!  I asked a manager who was in one of the store aisles and she told me they wouldn't have any for another couple of weeks!!  I couldn't believe my ears.  I would of thought that they would have an aisle set up already with all our Fall baking needs.  I got home and dug through my cupboards and sure enough, I found a can of pumpkin puree way in the back, yay!!!  I can fill my house with pumpkin muffins baking in the oven!  ~isavortheweekend