Sunday, November 6, 2011

Sunday Baked: Pumpkin Cheddar Muffins


Wow! I did not see this one coming. I guess I never really gave these much of a chance. Yes, I love almost all things pumpkin, but based on my reaction to the savory Tomato Soup Cupcakes we made awhile back, I totally did not expect to like these as much as I did. The combination of pumpkin, cheddar cheese and pepper seemed a little too unusual for my tastes, not to mention I am just not that into savory baked goods... Or, so I thought. Dare I say that my palate matured a bit this week?


The ingredients for these muffins were simply folded until moistened, producing an extra thick batter. The result was a moist, toothsome bite with pockets of dark brown sugar and a finish of heat from the cayenne pepper. What really pushed these over the edge though was the addition of the EXTRA sharp cheddar cheese, which added a whole other layer of flavor complexity. The thing is, I didn't really taste the pumpkin all that much. It kind of disappeared. I never would have guessed it was in there had I not made the darn things myself.


While I am completely sold on these muffins, I am still not ready to add them to my breakfast rotation (which is how the boys categorized them in their book.) I can really only envision these on a dinner menu, perhaps on the Thanksgiving table where their beautiful color can shine... but, that's just me.


Please do give these a try. Though the ingredient list is unusual, they are easy to make and taste deliciously sophisticated. Your palate will thank you. Mine certainly did!

To read what my fellow bakers thought of this recipe, hop on over to the new Baked Sunday Mornings website, or even better buy a copy of Matt and Renato's book Baked Explorations and join in on the fun! 

Have a Sweet Day!
Jaime @ The Great Cake Company

8 comments:

  1. Your muffins look gorgeous! I agree that these seem a bit odd for breakfast, but any other time of day - bring 'em on!

    Love the square muffin tin.

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  2. they look great! love the square shape and the homey look to them!

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  3. I love your square muffin tin! I agree - these would be great as an accompaniment to a meal, but would not be my first choice for breakfast. Unusual & delicious!

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  4. I love it when people use pans that I have - and haven't used yet. I am getting that out now! Superb muffins! They look wonderful! And funny, I couldn't stomach them past noon. :) Quite delicious though - with an entree!

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  5. I think I need a square muffin tin now! These were great with chili.

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  6. They look just beautiful as square muffins! Love your pan. Glad you liked these!

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  7. I also think these would be lovely for Thanksgiving but they are best hot out of the oven so that creates oven juggling...they are very pretty, tasty, and I can't get enough pumpkin at this time of year.

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  8. I wasn't a fan of the tomato soup or honey corn muffins, so this recipe was such a wonderful surprise! I am also coveting your square muffin tin -- gorgeous muffins and photos, they look delicious!

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Please let me know what you think, and thanks for stopping in :)