Pumpkin Chocolate Chips Muffin

Chocolate chip muffins are nothing new ....as the name goes, the surprise element here is the pumpkin in it...This is for the Baking Partners Challenge no.3...Yummy !!

Ingredients :

1 1/2 cups (195 grams) all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup (200 grams) granulated white sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3/4 cup (180 ml) solid packed, canned pumpkin puree

1 cup (175 grams) semisweet chocolate chips

Method :

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C). Place rack in the middle of the oven. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners or spray each cup with a non stick vegetable spray.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, ground spices, and salt.

In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla extract. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and pumpkin puree, in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Fold in the chocolate chips.   

Fill the muffin cups evenly with the batter using two spoons or an ice cream scoop. Place in the oven and bake for about 18 - 20 minutes, or until firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted in the center of one of the muffins comes out clean. Place on a wire rack to cool.

Makes 12 regular-sized muffins.

Note: The batter can be baked in a 9-inch (23 cm) loaf pan. Butter or spray the loaf pan with a non stick vegetable spray. Bake the loaf in a 350 degree F (177 degree C) oven for about 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean.

I made the pumpkin puree ( baked pumpkin the oven, scooped the flesh out and ran it through a food processor to a fine paste and sieved it to remove chunks/reeds if any) The only twist I gave added to the recipe is by adding some chopped prunes as I fell short of choc chips. Topped it with some almond flakes too......

 Just as spongy as it should be :)

Reshmi of Easy Cook suggested  Pumpkin chocolate chips Muffin from Joy of baking  which is  adapted form. This Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffin recipe is adapted from Baking from the Heart, a collaborative cookbook with Michael J Rose