Punkin cups!

I admit... I am a bit of a neat freak...which is hard to be when you love baking as much as I do!  I love to make cupcakes and muffins...but absolutely despise trying to neatly get the batter into the pan!  When I saw this idea  I decided I had to try it on my next batch of muffins.  I wanted to make those same apple muffins that Bake it Pretty showed....but of course Miss S has decided she does not like apples in her muffins anymore... This time she requested pumpkin.  I really really want to order the cute brown polka dot portion cups that Bake it Pretty has on her site...but I haven't done it yet...so my plain ole white ones had to suffice for tonight!

The judge hasn't yet given her opinion...we will have to wait for breakfast for that...but I did catch her fingers in the batter more than once....so I'm guessing that is a good sign.  And as for the mess....didn't even have to dirty a muffin pan...just put these punkins right on the baking sheet and voila!!! 

Here's the recipe from dine and dish adapted from Smitten Kitchen

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 cup canned solid-pack pumpkin

1/3 cup vegetable oil

2 large eggs

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1 1/4 cups plus extra sugar for dusting

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon for tops

Preheat oven to 350.  Place portion cups on a baking sheet or liners in muffin pan.  

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.  

Stir together some sugar and cinnamon for tops in another small bowl, reserve.

Divide batter among cups, and fill about three-fourths full, then sprinkle tops with cinnamon-sugar mixture.  Bake until puffed and golden brown or until toothpick comes out clean. ( I baked mine about 23 -25 min), and I made about 13 or 14 muffins.  

I'll be back with some more cookies to share by the end of the week!!! Happy Monday!