Pumpkin Muffins

This is a gooood Muffin. It took me a little by surpirse when it was done. As they seemed so crisp on the outside I was almost sure they would be dry inside. But they were oh-sooooo soft & moist

I was in a hurry & didn't add any rasins or nuts but if I make them again, I think I will for sure. Acutally when I was eating them I was almost sure I heard rasins soaked in rum whispering in my ear "You should've put me in.....nya ha ha!!" Well, OK, next time! I think it would've been the clincher. So again from Dorie Greenspan's book "Baking, From My Home to Yours" here they are: (My comments in blue)

PUMPKIN MUFFINS
Serves 12

1/2 cup walnuts

1/2 cup (1 stick, 8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature (Please use butter!)

1/2 cup sugar (I just used 1/2 a c of brown sugar & nixed the other 1/2 c)

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 eggs, room temperature

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

3/4 cup canned unsweetened pumpkin puree, about 1/2 a 15-ounce can (Fresh is best!)

1/4 cup buttermilk (Whole milk is fine)

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon table salt

3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ginger

1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Pinch allspice

1/2 cup moist, plump golden raisins (If I had time I would've soaked them in rum for about 1/2 an hr)

Preheat oven to 400F.

In a large bowl, cream the butter till soft with an electric mixer. (I used my stand mixer, worked great) Add the sugars and continue to beat til smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for 1 minute after each addition. Mix in the vanilla, pumpkin and buttermilk. (Don't worry, the 'curdled' look is natural)

Now use the mixer to combine the dry ingredients and wet batter but just until barely combined. (Too much mixing will create small holes in the muffins while baking.) (Again, I caution you to NOT OVERMIX, just till barely mixed) With a spatula, stir in the raisins (and the toasted nuts, if you prefer them inside versus on top, as the recipe specifies).

Spoon batter into lightly greased/sprayed medium-size muffin trays (papers work fine too) and fill. Sprinkle chopped toasted nuts on top, pressing gently into the batter.

Bake for 25 minutes or until a thin knife inserted in the center of a test muffin comes out clean. Remove from oven and the baking tray, let cool for 5 minutes. Remove the muffins from the baking tin and serve. Best served warm for breakfast on a cold morning.