Pumpkin Muffins

Recipe from Smitten Kitchen

Adapted from the American club, in Kohler, Wisconsin via Gourmet Magazine

Ingredients:
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup canned solid-pack pumpkin (from a 15 ounce can)
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin-pie spice
• 1 1/4 cups plus 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Directions:
1. Put oven in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Put liners in muffin cups.
2. Whisk together pumpkin, oil, eggs, pumpkin pie spice, 1 1/4 cups sugar, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl until smooth, then whisk in flour mixture until just combined.
3. Stir together cinnamon and remaining 1 tablespoon sugar in another bowl.
4. Divide batter among muffin cups (each should be about three-fourths full), then sprinkle tops with cinnamon-sugar mixture. Bake until puffed and golden brown and wooden pick or skewer inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes.
5. Cool in pan on a rack five minutes and then transfer muffins from pan to rack and cool to warm or room temperature.

Pumpkin Bars

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 4 beaten eggs
• 1 (16 oz) can pumpkin
• 1 cup cooking oil

Directions:

1. In a large mixing bowl stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and cloves. Stir in the eggs, pumpkin, and oil until combined. Spread batter in an ungreased 15x10 inch baking pan.
2. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or till a wooden toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 2 hours on a wire rack. Spread with Cream Cheese Frosting.

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:

• Beat together 1 3-oz package cream cheese, softened; 1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened; and 1 tsp vanilla until light and fluffy.
  
• Gradually add 1 cup sifted powered sugar, beating well.
• Gradually beat in 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups additional sifted powered sugar to reach spreading consistency.
  

Pumpkin Bars With Cream Cheese Frosting

• Ingredients
  2 cups Bisquick
  1/2 cup oil
  1 (16 ounce) can solid pack pumpkin
  4 eggs, beaten
  2 teaspoons cinnamon (2 teaspoons cinnamon plus Pampered Chef, Recipezaar has a mock pampered chef cinnamon plus recipe)
  4 ounces cream cheese, softened
  1/3 cup butter, softened
  1 tablespoon milk
  1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  2 cups powdered sugar
  


• Directions
  1 Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2 Beat, oil, pumpkin, eggs and cinnamon mixture on medium speed for 1 minute.
  3 Stir in Bisquick and continue mixing at medium speed until smooth.
  4 Pour batter into a jelly roll pan or bar pan or 13 x 9" pan and bake for 23-26 minutes.
  5 Let cool completely before frosting.
  6 While bars are baking, cream cheese, butter, milk and vanilla together until well blended.
  7 Slowly add powdered sugar until well blended.
  8 Store in the refrigerator until you are ready to frost your pumpkin bars.
  9 Let sit out at room temperature for 10 minutes before frosting.
  10 Can also be used to make pumpkin muffins/cupcakes with cream cheese frosting.
  

1.