Muffin Madness continues with this fall-flavor inspired creations. The original recipe was for quick bread, and I made some additions to give it some bigger flavors. When I bake, I tend to gravitate toward recipes that have bold flavors rather than subtle. While tastes vary from person to person, it seems many people enjoy a burst of flavor.

Originally, the only spices in the recipe were 1/4 tsp of cinnamon and 1/4 tsp of nutmeg, which for an entire batch of muffins is just not enough. I upped the cinnamon, added ginger and orange zest, and topped the muffins with cinnamon-sugar.

Most “quick bread” recipes (breads without yeast) can be converted into muffins. A general rule of thumb is to fill the muffin cups 3/4 full and bake for 20-25 minutes at 350-375F.

Sweet Potato & Fresh Cranberry Muffins
adapted from Cooking Light magazine

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
3/4 cup canned pureed sweet potato (from a can)
3 eggs
1/3 cup orange juice
1 tsp orange zest
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup fresh cranberries, chopped

Preheat oven to 350F and spray a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. In a separate bowl, combine sweet potato puree, eggs, orange juice, and melted butter. Add to dry ingredients and stir until just moist. Fold in cranberries.

Spoon batter into muffin tin, filling each cup about 3/4 full. Sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar or chopped nuts, if desired. Bake 20-25 minutes or until muffins spring back when touched lightly in center. Allow to cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes before serving.

Makes approximately 18 muffins.

Welcome to Muffin Madness! Let’s kick things off with the perfect fall muffin, made with the flavors of pumpkin, cherry, and autumn spices. These muffins are perfect for breakfast or a little after-dinner dessert.

The original recipe from Cooking Light magazine calls for dried sweetened cranberries, but I substituted dried cherries (regular or golden raisins would also fit the bill if you are so inclined). I also increased the amount slightly because 2/3 of a cup just didn’t seem like enough to distribute the cherries evenly into the muffins.

Rather than relying on butter or tons of oil, this recipe uses pumpkin puree and low-fat buttermilk to keep the muffins deliciously moist (only 2 tablespoons of oil required). If you do not have the individual spices for this recipe, you can substitute approximately 2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice mixture with the same results (check out this recipe to make your own pumpkin pie spice).

Pumpkin-Cherry Muffins
adapted from Cooking Light

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1 cup sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 tbsp canola or vegetable oil
1 large egg
1 cup dried cherries, roughly chopped

Preheat oven to 375F and spray a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray.

In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine flour, baking soda, ginger, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and cloves. Whisk to combine.

In a large mixing bowl, combine sugar, pumpkin puree, buttermilk, light brown sugar, oil, and egg. Using an electric mixture, beat 3 minutes on medium speed until batter is well blended. Gradually add flour mixture to bowl and beat at low speed just until all ingredients are combined.  Fold in cherries.

Spoon batter into prepared muffin tin. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until muffins spring back when touched lightly in center. Remove muffins from pan immediately; place on a wire rack to cool.

Serve warm with a smear of butter, if desired (or top with a little cinnamon-sugar).

It’s been awhile since I’ve done a special project, and it seems rarely do my special projects revolve around baking. This is a little odd because often I prefer baking to cooking. The precise measurements that guarantee a certain chemical reaction that results in (ta-da!) baked good is a wonderful process that clears the mind and creates a delicious final product. Baking is also easier to share with others, and usually easier to transport.

It started with Pepper-Cheddar Muffins, a savory cornbread style muffin with a spicy kick and cheesy goodness. My muffin tin had not seen much action prior to this recipe, so it was nice to bust out this forgotten piece of bake ware.

Then I moved on to a late night baking inspiration: Pumpkin & Cherry Muffins (recipe posting soon). James felt that I had been holding out on him, this hidden talent for baking muffins that I revealed a week before the wedding, but the truth is I had never really thought much about making muffins until now. But really, who doesn’t love a muffin in the morning?

So join me as I launch my first special project in about six months: Muffin Madness. New recipes to post very soon! Look for the category Muffin Madness in the menu bar to the right.

While being lazy one Saturday morning, I flipped to the Food Network and caught an episode of “Down Home with the Neelys” and they were making these delicious looking spicy corn bread muffins. I looked up the recipe and made a few tweaks (like I usually do) to make this variety, perfect for Southwest-style brunch or Mexican dinner.

The original recipe called for poblano and fresno peppers, which can be hot. I used a mixture of mild green bell pepper with yellow and red sweet bell peppers. There are a few ways you can control the heat in this recipe:

1. Use mild or sweet bell peppers and add cayenne pepper to taste
2. Use medium to hot peppers of your choice and omit cayenne pepper
3. Use mild or sweet peppers and omit cayenne pepper, then select salsa or picante of an appropriate heat level to suit your tastes

Pepper-Cheddar Corn Bread Muffins
adapted from the Food Network

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 small onion, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup diced peppers (of your choice)
Salt, to taste
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 cayenne pepper
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 cup buttermilk
3 eggs
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 400F and coat a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray.

In a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of butter. Add onion and garlic, salt to taste, and saute 3-5 minutes until softened. Add peppers and saute an additional 2-3 minutes. Add paprika and cayenne pepper and saute an additional minute until fragrant. Remove from heat and add remaining butter to pan. Set aside and allow butter to melt.

In a large bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Whisk to combine. In a separate bowl, whisk together buttermilk and eggs. Create a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and pour in the buttermilk mixture. Using a large wooden spoon, fold in buttermilk mixture until all the dry ingredients are moistened (do not overmix). Fold in shredded cheese and pepper mixture. Batter will be very thick.

Using a 1/2 cup measure, evenly scoop batter into prepared muffin tin. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes before serving.  Spoon salsa or picante sauce on top of muffins if desired.

Makes 12 muffins.