Variation on a (Pumpkin) Theme

When I was in college, I went through a pumpkin obsession phase that I never really grew out of. I made all kinds of pumpkin cookies, breads, bars and pies. (Yes, pies. That's how I know I will never like homemade pumpkin pie.)

So last weekend, I was *craving* the reduced-fat banana mini-chocolate chip bread from Starbucks. (If you haven't tried, do! It's delicious!) But I was a little too lazy to go out to buy it and I didn't have bananas to make it myself. But I did have canned pumpkin, so I decided to pull out the following favorite recipe from my college years but make muffins instead of bread.

Pumpkin Bread

1 cup butter, softened
3 cups sugar
3 large eggs
2 cups canned pumpkin
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup raisins (optional)
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)
1 to 1-1/2 cups chocolate chips (optional)

Cream together the butter and eggs. Beat until light. Add canned pumpkin and vanilla. Add the sugars, salt, baking soda and spices. Add the flour and the optional ingredients.

Divide into two (sprayed) loaf pans and bake at 350*F for 60 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. OR spoon into sprayed muffin tins (makes about 30 muffins) and bake at 350*F for 25-28 minutes.

Frosting Post #1

I've been thinking about frosting lately. In particular, I've been thinking about how I almost exclusively only use buttercream frosting. I've had two cake decorating lessons and in the first one, I learned the following buttercream frosting recipe and never looked back.

But then I received the Martha Stewart Cupcake book (which I highly recommend) for my last birthday. After that I've also picked up or received other cupcake books and cookie decorating books that had a lot to say about royal icing (another recipe I picked up from Martha). As I've been trying out recipes I've realized that there are things I've been missing. Ganache, seven-minute frosting, glazes...

I'll be sharing these. But first, a fantastic Buttercream Frosting that I didn't need to find for myself.

Buttercream Frosting

2 lbs confectioner's sugar
1 cup shortening
1 cup butter
4 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon clear flavoring (vanilla, almond, mint, lemon, etc.)

I soften the shortening and butter in the microwave and then mix until creamy. (I usually get the shortening in bars, and I usually use the non-flavored shortening because it helps keep the frosting close to a white color. BUT, you can use the butter flavored [and yellow colored] shortening, which makes the frosting tastier.) Then I add the milk and flavoring. (I prefer almond flavoring: it smells and tastes sweeter than vanilla.) Then I add the powdered sugar in doses. It will keep, refrigerated, for two weeks.