Fall Flavors: Spiced Pumpkin Banana Muffins

Pumpkin food and flavors are a sure sign of fall. In the kitchen of Verona-based Cardie Cooks, Maureen Kelleher Rosin is in full swing of fall flavors with her Spiced Pumpkin Banana muffins. This recipe has been in her family for years and she describes them like this, “these are moist and honey colored, exploding with pumpkin flavor and wonderful spices… reminiscent of a pumpkin pie.” Rosin serves these any time from breakfast to an afternoon snack.  I love the smell of pumpkin baking so I think I’ll have to make these soon!  Thank you Maureen!

Spiced Pumpkin Banana Muffins

Makes 24 muffins

 Ingredients:

4 cups all-purpose flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon finely chopped crystallized ginger or 1 teaspoon ground ginger

¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

zest of one orange

2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

2/3 cup light brown sugar, packed

4 large eggs, at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 ½  cups pure pumpkin puree

2 small bananas, mashed

½ cup buttermilk

½ cup golden raisins, soaked in orange juice to plump

½ cup cranberries, soaked in orange juice to plump

1 cup walnuts, optional

What’s Next:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and check to make sure rack is in the center of the oven.  Butter 24 muffin cups or use paper liners and set pans on sheet pans.
2. In a small saucepan place the raisins and cranberries with enough orange juice to cover. Bring to a boil and take off the heat and allow to seat for 15 minutes. Drain and set aside.
3. In a medium bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Add zest of one orange. Mix well to combine and set aside.
4. In a large bowl mash your bananas with a fork.
5. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter until soft on medium speed. Add sugars and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition. Scrape down the bowl. On low speed add the banana, pumpkin, vanilla and buttermilk.
6. Add the dry ingredients mixing only until incorporated. Using a rubber spatula scrape down the sides of the bowl.
7. Fold in the plumped up raisins which have been drained and optional nuts.
8. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups and sprinkle with Turbinado sugar and sunflower seeds.
9. Bake for about 25 minutes. Cool on rack for 5 minutes. Carefully remove each one from its mold and finish cooling on the rack.

Topping: Turbinado Sugar and 2/3 Cup Unsalted Raw Sunflower Seeds