Pumpkin Muffins

Album: Big Band Bossa Nova | Quincy Jones

This pumpkin muffin recipe is a family secret that is too good to hide any longer. Mom obtained this recipe in high school, and it is the best pumpkin bread recipe ever. The spice-to-pumpkin ratio is perfect, the muffins are moist, tender, and the right amount of sweet, while featuring the pumpkin flavor prominently. We like to put butter on these muffins when they are warm and fresh out of the oven. They can be eaten for any meal of the day, but it’s a tradition of ours to include them as part of a Thanksgiving feast.

The recipe below can be adapted for muffins or bread. Muffins cook much faster, of course.

Album pairing

Quincy Jones was a prolific musician and composer. Over the course of his illustrious 70-year career, he did everything from solo trumpet recording to producing albums to leading bands to composing film and TV scores (The Italian Job, The Color Purple, and The Cosby Show, to name a few). Big Band Bossa Nova kicks off with a highly energetic tune, “Soul Bossa Nova,” which was eventually used as the title track in an Austin Powers film.

Album Pairing: Big Band Bossa Nova | Quincy Jones

🎵 Listen to the album while you cook or eat 🎵

Genuine Dad-approved equipment recommendation: KitchenAid Stand Mixer

Hello, dads and dad-adjacents. Here’s a Genuine Dad Equipment Recommendation* for your kitchen. A KitchenAid Stand Mixer (Amazon link) makes baking treats much easier. Many of my recipes (and baking recipes across the land) assume the use of a stand mixer. KitchenAids are workhorses that last for decades–my mom’s is going on 30 years with little-to-no maintenance, and I know others have lasted even longer. I suggest the version that includes a bowl with a handle because it’s easier to manage when pouring batter or removing the bowl from the stand.

I also recommend upgrading to the stainless steel paddle attachment (Amazon link). It can be placed in the dishwasher, making cleanup easier (the included standard paddle cannot go in the dishwasher because the coating will chip).

*Genuine Dad Equipment Recommendations are real, tested recommendations for equipment I’ve used for years in my kitchen. These recommendations are exclusive to Dads Jazz Cookbook. I only recommend products that I have personally found to be durable, high-utility, and nearly essential for my cooking.

Make Pumpkin Muffins (or Pumpkin Bread)

Pumpkin Muffins

This pumpkin bread is a family secret that is too good to hide any longer. The muffins are moist, perfectly spiced, and full of pumpkin! They make a great snack or side.

Ready in 1 hour hour

Active time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 18 muffins

Ingredients  

• 240 g (2 C) all-purpose flour
• 300 g (1 ½ C) sugar
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ¾ tsp salt
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp allspice
• ½ tsp nutmeg
• ¼ tsp cloves
• 275 g (1 heaping C) pumpkin
• 79 g (⅓ C) water
• 115 g (½ C) canola oil
• 2 large eggs

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease a 9-inch loaf pan or 18 muffin cups.
2. Combine dry ingredients in bowl of mixer. Blend on low speed with paddle attachment until combined.
3. Add pumpkin, water, and oil. Blend well on medium speed until combined.
4. Add eggs, one at a time, blending well after each addition.
5. Pour into muffin cups or loaf pan. For muffins, bake 15-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. For loaf, bake 40-45 minutes.

Notes

Album: Big Band Bossa Nova | Quincy Jones

Keywords muffins, pumpkin muffins, snack cake, thanksgiving

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