PUMPKIN CHOCOLATE CHIP BREAD

Pumpkin always sounds good to me.  I usually don't get sick of it during the Fall season and I like to eat it all year long.  My friend gave me a copy of a cookbook she made for her mom for Christmas.  This was one of the recipes in it.  As soon as I saw it, I knew it would be the first thing I tried out of the book.  It sounded interesting, because It has a box of vanilla pudding in it.  I had never heard of that in pumpkin bread.  So, I made it and I loved it.  I even just stirred everything together with a wooden spoon and didn't even break out the mixer.  The recipe does not have chocolate chips in it, but I love chocolate with pumpkin, so I added some.  The bread has the perfect amount of pumpkin and spice.  For once, the outside part is actually my favorite, it is slightly chewy, but the inside is super soft and moist.  So, next time you get a craving for something pumpkin, give this bread a try.   

Pumpkin Bread

adapted from: Kelly P.

(Printable Recipe)

1 c. canola oil

3 large eggs

1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin

3 c. flour

3 c. sugar

1 (3 oz.) box instant vanilla pudding

1 tsp. salt

2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1/4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 1/2 c. milk chocolate chips (I added)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease two loaf pans.  In a large bowl, beat oil, eggs and pumpkin until combined.  Add the sugar and mix well.  Add the flour and all the spices.  Stir in the pudding mix and chocolate chips.  Divide evenly between loaf pans.  Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. (Mine took about 1 hr. and 10 min.)

Pumpkin Mousse Cupcakes

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!!

It's blog makeover time!  I found this cute design that matched the title of my blog and so I am going to try it out for awhile and see if it is going to be a keeper or not.  Let me know if you like it!  

You have got to try these cupcakes.  They are sooooooo yummy!  My friend, Shelley, told me her husband had tried one of these cupcakes at a bake sale some of her neighbors were having for a fundraiser and that I had to try them, because her hubby said they were incredible.  So, I waited for Jamie to post them on her blog and when I saw them, I immediately started baking.  

The cupcake is so light and fluffy and has the perfect spice flavor.  The pumpkin filling is made from a boxed pudding mix and while on its own, I thought it tasted a little strange and debated about even putting it inside the cupcakes, but I am so glad I ended up trying it in the cupcake, because the combination of the cake, filling and the cream cheese frosting is perfect.  I adjusted her cream cheese frosting recipe a little, but use your favorite recipe.  I am planning on taking these to Thanksgiving dinner and I am sure everyone will love them.  I only filled a couple of the cupcakes tonight to give them a try, but I plan on filling and frosting the rest in the morning, since they will have to be refrigerated because of the cream and cream cheese and I didn't want to refrigerate the cake overnight.  

Pumpkin Mousse Cupcakes

adapted from: Jamie Cooks It Up

(Printable Recipe)

Cupcakes:

1 spice cake mix

1 (3.4 oz) box pumpkin spice instant pudding

1/3 c. flour

1/3 c. vegetable oil

1/3 c. sour cream

1 1/2 c. water

1 tsp. vanilla

4 eggs

Filling: 

1 (3.4 oz) box pumpkin spice instant pudding

1 3/4 c. half and half

Cream Cheese Frosting:

1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened

1 stick butter, softened

2 tsp. vanilla

dash of salt

4 c. powdered sugar

2-3 Tbl. milk

For the cupcakes: In a large bowl, add the cake mix, pudding mix and flour; stir together to combine.  Add the oil, sour cream, water, vanilla and eggs.  Mix on low speed for 1 minute.  Then, mix on medium speed until smooth and silky, about 3 minutes.  Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full and bake at 350 degrees for 13-15 minutes (mine took 19-20 minutes).  Cool completely.  Yield: 24 cupcakes (I got 27).

For the mousse filling:  Whip together ingredients until thick, about 3 minutes.  Using a sharp knife, cut a small circle out of the top of each cupcake.  Spoon filling in each hole.

For the cream cheese frosting:  Mix cream cheese and butter until smooth.  Add vanilla and salt.  Add powdered sugar, one cup at a time, until light and fluffy.  Add enough milk to reach desired piping consistency.  Pipe onto each cupcake.      

Country Pumpkin Muffins

You can never have too much pumpkin.  Can you?  Here is another muffin recipe I found on All Recipes.  I had been dying to use my new jumbo muffin pan, plus I had been wanting to try something pumpkin with some butterscotch chips, because I had read on a few different websites that the two go really well together. So, I thought this would be the perfect chance to try both.  


I made the batter for the muffins and added milk chocolate chips to half and butterscotch chips to the other half.  These muffins turned out really good.  The butterscotch ones had a unique flavor that complimented the pumpkin, however, I think I prefer the more traditional ones with the milk chocolate chips.  


So, how did they compare to these pumpkin muffins?  They almost tasted the same, but if I had to choose one, I would choose the first ones, only because these new ones turned a little sticky the next day. Overall, they were really good.  I'm not sure how many it made, because I made jumbo, regular and mini muffins and I didn't count them when I was done.  Also, the recipe's directions said to bake at 400 degrees, which I tried for the first two pans, but the outside was getting done before the inside was done(jumbo muffin on the left), so I turned the oven down for that last few pans and they baked a lot more even(regular muffin in the middle).  I am really sorry, but I forgot to write down how long I baked the large and mini muffins for.  So, just take the time for the regular muffins and do less for the mini and more for the jumbo.   

Country Pumpkin Muffins

adapted from: All Recipes

(Printable Recipe)

2 c. sugar
1/2 c. vegetable oil
3 eggs
1 1/2 c. canned pumpkin
1/2 c. milk
3 c. flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tsp. salt
2 c. milk or butterscotch chips


In a large mixing bowl, beat sugar, oil, eggs, pumpkin and milk.  Combine flour, baking powder, soda, spices and salt.  Add to pumpkin mixture; blend until just combined.  Fold in chocolate/butterscotch chips.  Spoon into greased muffin tins, filling 3/4 full.  Bake at 350 degrees for 15- 18 minutes for regular muffins.  

PUMPKIN PIE CAKE

This cake is, by far, MY ALL-TIME FAVORITE PUMPKIN DESSERT EVER!!!  There is just something about it that is so comforting.  It has the perfect textures and combination of spices.  Oh and don't forget the amazing streusel topping.  I love sitting down on a cold day and eating a warm piece of this cake with a little Cool Whip on top.  Pure heaven!  I always eat this cake warm, just zap it in the microwave for 15 seconds or so, top with Cool Whip or whipping cream and enjoy.

Pumpkin Pie Cake

From: Sharon H. (Mom)

(Printable Recipe)

1 box yellow cake mix
3 eggs
1 c. margarine
2 c. canned pumpkin
3/4 c. sugar
1 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 c. sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon


Reserve 1 cup cake mix; set aside.  Combine remaining cake mix, 1 egg and 1/2 cup melted margarine.  Spread into the bottom of a 9x13 pan.  Mix canned milk, pumpkin, 2 eggs, 3/4 cup sugar, 1 tsp. cinnamon, ginger and cloves.  Beat until fluffy.  Pour over crust.  Combine reserved cake mix, 1/2 cup sugar and 1 tsp. cinnamon.  Cut in remaining 1/2 cup margarine until it is about the size of peas.  Sprinkle topping over pumpkin filling.  Bake at 350 degrees for one hour.  Serve warm with Cool Whip or whipping cream.  

PUMPKIN CHOCOLATE CHIP MUFFINS

I absolutely love pumpkin!  Pumpkin cake, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin bread, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin/pecan pie, pumpkin biscuits, etc . . . I think you get the picture!  I was so sad when I found out about the pumpkin shortage.  I went from store to store searching for canned pumpkin, but all I found was empty shelves, until yesterday.  Costco finally got some pumpkin in!  Hallelujah!!!  Costco was also giving away samples of some pumpkin bread/muffin mix you can buy in a box.  They made it into mini muffins and I thought they were really cute, so I had to make my own.     

I found this recipe over at Mel's Kitchen Cafe.  It is under her section titled "The Best Recipes", where she includes her very favorite recipes.  So, I knew they had to be good.  She also included how to make your own pumpkin pie spice.  I already had a store bought jar of pumpkin pie spice, but when it runs out, I will try her recipe.  I think pumpkin and chocolate go so well together.  I cut the recipe in half and got exactly 24 mini muffins.  These are really good and I love that they are mini, so you can just pop them in your mouth with no mess whatsoever.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

adapted from: here

(Printable Recipe)

1 2/3 c. flour

1 c. sugar

1 Tbl. pumpkin pie spice

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 c. canned pumpkin

1/2 c. butter, soft

1 c. chocolate chips

Combine all ingredients and then add chocolate chips.  Divide evenly into greased muffin tin.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes (or 11-12 minutes for mini muffins).  Do not overbake or they will be dry.  Yield: about 24 muffins (or 48 mini muffins).

Pumpkin Pie Spice (yield: 1 tsp.) (3 tsp. = 1 Tbl.)

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ground ginger

1/8 tsp. nutmeg

1/8 tsp. ground cloves