Maple Glazed Pumpkin Muffins

Today I did something I’m more than just a little ashamed I haven’t done sooner.

I got up early and headed down to the foodie nirvana that is the Eastern Market with Barb, where an enormous bunch of Tuscan Kale is only $1.  I hadn’t been since I was a kid (insert gasp) and, in fact, I was stunned to learn that it’s just east of downtown, within view of the skyscrapers– a mere hop, skip and a jump from Greektown.  Bizarre…I felt like I was in another world, on vacation maybe, in some east coast town I’d yet to visit. We’re already planning a return visit before the holidays.

After, we drove through a Mies Van Der Rohe designed condo-complex just a couple of blocks away.  Who knew?  Not me.  Let’s just say it’s been a day of discovery followed by an insanely busy week that included a weekend getaway north, a Viennese-themed book club, a nail-biting election night party, parent-teacher conferences and a very late night Madonna concert prefaced by an absolutely delicious dinner at Seva Detroit.  I’ve barely had time to breathe much less write a post.  Now, I’ve got this hour before heading to see Skyfall…

These muffins were absolutely divine for our annual girls’ weekend.  One of my favorite moments is waking up early, having arrived in the dark, and opening the blinds to gaze upon the wild nothingness of the north.  Shortly thereafter, I sat down with a cup of coffee and one of these glorious and ridiculously easy muffins.  They epitomize fall and all that is comforting. Thank you, Donal, for the timely post.

Maple Glazed Pumpkin Muffins

Makes 12 muffins.  Adapted from Donal Skehan’s Kitchen Blog (and by adapted, I mean converted, since his amounts are in Irish weights rather than American cups).  Here’s the original.

For the muffins

• 2 cups flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. each ginger, ground cloves and allspice
• a scant 15 oz. can organic pumpkin purée*
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 2 eggs beaten

Preheat oven to 350°.  Spray a 12 muffin tin with baking spray (or grease and flour).  Mix all ingredients, in order, in a large bowl.  Once eggs are added whisk until there is no dry flour but avoid overmixing.  Pour into the muffin tin and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out without any raw batter (ideally it will be a little moist and crumbly). Cool in pan for 10 minutes then turn out onto a wire rack on a cookie tray to continue cooling.

*I left out about 2 Tbsp. purée, based on the conversion I made. I suspect the recipe would turn out fine with the whole can, though I haven’t tested this yet.

For the glaze

• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 3 Tbsp. maple syrup
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts, toasted

Whisk glaze ingredients in a bowl.  You may need to add additional maple syrup to get it runny enough to glaze the muffin.

Pour glaze on muffins and use a knife of small spatula to spread.  The cookie tray will catch the glaze that drips down for easier cleanup.  Sprinkle walnuts on top.

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