brown sugar, maple syrup, egg, vanilla, and pumpkin purée until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed, about 2 minutes.
Reduce the speed to medium-low. Add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture in three additions, alternating with the buttermilk in two additions, scraping down the sides after each addition, beating until the batter is creamy and smooth, another minute or so.
Divide the batter among the cupcake tins, filling them nearly to the top. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 13 to 14 minutes.
Let cool completely in the cupcake tins.
Meanwhile, to make the frosting: In a medium bowl, add the Neufchâtel cheese, butter, confectionersâ sugar, and maple syrup and stir vigorously with a fork until creamy.
Spread the frosting on the cooled cupcakes.
Cover the cupcakes in plastic wrap. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Unfrosted cupcakes can be stored in the freezer for up to 1 month.
NOTE: If you donât have mini-cupcake tins, this recipe will make a dozen standard-size cupcakes and will take an additional 8 to 10 minutes to bake. Cut them in half for a lunch boxâsize portion.
Neufchâtel is naturally about 30 percent lower in fat than cream cheese but with a similar taste and texture. Substitute regular cream cheese if you canât find Neufchâtel.
NO BUTTERMILK? NO PROBLEM
If you donât want to make a special trip to the market for buttermilk, here is a little trick I use for baking. For every 1 cup of buttermilk needed, measure out 1 cup minus 1 tablespoon of milk. Add 1 tablespoon lemon juice or white wine vinegar. Let it sit on the counter for 5 minutes to thicken. Then proceed according to your recipe.
If you do buy buttermilk, you can always freeze what you donât use.
TENDER CRANBERRY
Streusel Muffins
CRANBERRY MUFFINS WERE A WINTER STAPLE in my house growing up, always with cinnamon-sugar sprinkled on top. Cranberries are a cold-weather fruit that add tang, color, and loads of antioxidants to this muffin. Fresh cranberries are ideal, but thawed frozen ones yield good results as well. You can also use unpeeled chopped apples or whole fresh blueberries instead, depending on the season.
MAKES 48 MINI MUFFINS OR 14 STANDARD-SIZE MUFFINS
2 1 / 3 cups fresh or thawed frozen cranberries
1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
1 cup oat flour (see Note)
2 tablespoons flax meal
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 / 2 teaspoon baking soda
1 / 2 teaspoon salt
3 / 4 cup low-fat buttermilk (see No Buttermilk? No Problem, page 128)
1 egg
1 / 3 cup fresh orange juice
Zest from 1 / 2 large orange
3 / 4 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons melted butter
Streusel Topping
2 tablespoons rolled oats (not quick oats)
2 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar
1 / 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Special equipment
Muffin tins for 48 mini muffins or 14 standard muffins
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease the muffin tins with oil or line with paper liners.
Coarsely chop the cranberries with a knife or by pulsing them a few times in a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the whole-wheat pastry flour, oat flour, flax meal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In another medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, egg, orange juice, orange zest, and granulated sugar until smooth. Slowly drizzle in the melted butter, whisking constantly, until combined.
Add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture, using a rubber spatula to gently stir them together until just combined. Add the cranberries, stirring with as few strokes as possible. If you stir the batter too much, it will result in tougher muffins (we want tough kids, not tough muffins!).
Divide the batter among the muffin tins, filling them about three-quarters full.
To make the streusel topping: In a small bowl, add the oats, brown sugar, and cinnamon and stir with a fork. Sprinkle the topping over the batter, dividing it evenly.
Bake
Reduce the speed to medium-low. Add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture in three additions, alternating with the buttermilk in two additions, scraping down the sides after each addition, beating until the batter is creamy and smooth, another minute or so.
Divide the batter among the cupcake tins, filling them nearly to the top. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 13 to 14 minutes.
Let cool completely in the cupcake tins.
Meanwhile, to make the frosting: In a medium bowl, add the Neufchâtel cheese, butter, confectionersâ sugar, and maple syrup and stir vigorously with a fork until creamy.
Spread the frosting on the cooled cupcakes.
Cover the cupcakes in plastic wrap. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Unfrosted cupcakes can be stored in the freezer for up to 1 month.
NOTE: If you donât have mini-cupcake tins, this recipe will make a dozen standard-size cupcakes and will take an additional 8 to 10 minutes to bake. Cut them in half for a lunch boxâsize portion.
Neufchâtel is naturally about 30 percent lower in fat than cream cheese but with a similar taste and texture. Substitute regular cream cheese if you canât find Neufchâtel.
NO BUTTERMILK? NO PROBLEM
If you donât want to make a special trip to the market for buttermilk, here is a little trick I use for baking. For every 1 cup of buttermilk needed, measure out 1 cup minus 1 tablespoon of milk. Add 1 tablespoon lemon juice or white wine vinegar. Let it sit on the counter for 5 minutes to thicken. Then proceed according to your recipe.
If you do buy buttermilk, you can always freeze what you donât use.
TENDER CRANBERRY
Streusel Muffins
CRANBERRY MUFFINS WERE A WINTER STAPLE in my house growing up, always with cinnamon-sugar sprinkled on top. Cranberries are a cold-weather fruit that add tang, color, and loads of antioxidants to this muffin. Fresh cranberries are ideal, but thawed frozen ones yield good results as well. You can also use unpeeled chopped apples or whole fresh blueberries instead, depending on the season.
MAKES 48 MINI MUFFINS OR 14 STANDARD-SIZE MUFFINS
2 1 / 3 cups fresh or thawed frozen cranberries
1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
1 cup oat flour (see Note)
2 tablespoons flax meal
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 / 2 teaspoon baking soda
1 / 2 teaspoon salt
3 / 4 cup low-fat buttermilk (see No Buttermilk? No Problem, page 128)
1 egg
1 / 3 cup fresh orange juice
Zest from 1 / 2 large orange
3 / 4 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons melted butter
Streusel Topping
2 tablespoons rolled oats (not quick oats)
2 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar
1 / 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Special equipment
Muffin tins for 48 mini muffins or 14 standard muffins
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease the muffin tins with oil or line with paper liners.
Coarsely chop the cranberries with a knife or by pulsing them a few times in a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the whole-wheat pastry flour, oat flour, flax meal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In another medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, egg, orange juice, orange zest, and granulated sugar until smooth. Slowly drizzle in the melted butter, whisking constantly, until combined.
Add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture, using a rubber spatula to gently stir them together until just combined. Add the cranberries, stirring with as few strokes as possible. If you stir the batter too much, it will result in tougher muffins (we want tough kids, not tough muffins!).
Divide the batter among the muffin tins, filling them about three-quarters full.
To make the streusel topping: In a small bowl, add the oats, brown sugar, and cinnamon and stir with a fork. Sprinkle the topping over the batter, dividing it evenly.
Bake
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