Pumpkin Muffins

This is the same recipe that has been on many food blogs since last week. It is the one from Dorie Greenspan's book - Baking, From My Home to Yours. I think I normally would have waited to post this since it has been posted by so many recently, but I am going to go ahead and post it now since it's the perfect time of year for this. The muffins came out great. Normally muffins are at their best when they are freshly baked and eaten fairly soon but these were better the next day, like a cake would be! I did omit the raw sunflower seeds that Dorie used for a topping and replaced this with a sugar glaze that I made using powdered sugar and milk. I just drizzled this on once the muffins cooled. My husband and coworkers loved them but they were not a hit with my son......he loves pumpkin pie but was not even interested in trying these. Oh well, I am making a pumpkin pie tonight so he will enjoy that!!!

2 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

Pinch of ground allspice

1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup (packed) light brown sugar

2 large eggs

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3/4 cup canned unsweetened pumpkin puree

1/4 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup moist, plump golden raisins

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Topping: About 1/3 cup unsalted raw sunflower seeds, for topping (I substituted a drizzle made from powdered sugar and milk)

Center a rack in the oven and preheat oven to 400F. Butter or spray the 12 molds in a regular size muffin pan or fit the molds with paper muffin cups. Place the muffin pan on a baking sheet.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter at medium speed until soft. Add both the sugars and continue to beat until light and smooth. One by one add the eggs, beating for a minute after the eggs are incorporated, then beat in the vanilla. Lower the mixer speed and mix the pumpkin and buttermilk. With the mixer at low speed, add the dry ingredients in a steady stream, mixing only until they disappear. To avoid overmixing, you can stop the machine early and stir any remaining dry ingredients into the batter using a rubber spatula. Stir in the raisins and nuts. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups and sprinkle a few sunflower seeds over the top of each muffin.

Bake for about 25 minutes, or until a thin knife inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool the muffins for 5 minutes in the pan, then carefully remove each one from its mold and finish cooling on the rack. (If you are using the drizzle, allow muffins to cool.)