Pumpkin Raisin Muffins

1 ⅓ cups whole wheat flour

2 2/3 cup all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon*

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 cup raisins

1/4 cup toasted and chopped walnuts or hazelnuts

1 cup pumpkin purée

2 eggs

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup melted butter

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Butter a muffin tin.  Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg into a large bowl. Stir in the raisins, set aside.  Toast the walnuts and hazelnuts in a pan on the stove top stirring frequently just a few minutes. Be careful not to burn the nuts. If using hazelnuts, rub toasted nuts in a tea towel to remove skins. Blend in a food processor until fine. Whisk into flour mixture.  In a separate bowl, beat together the pumpkin purée, eggs, milk, and butter. Fold into flour mixture until combined.  Divide among 12 muffin cups, filling each tin about 2/3 full. You may have enough for an additional muffin or two. Or just make giant muffins.  Bake for 25-30 minutes in the center of the oven until well risen and golden, and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.  Leave in muffin tin for 1 to 2 minutes then transfer to a wire rack.

The batter was very thick, so I filled the muffin cups and they came out a nice size.  The directions called for cinnamon, but no quantity was provided; I used 1/2 teaspoon.

Conclusion: These were very good.  They were only mildly sweet, so I made maple syrup butter to go with them.  The nuts were not apparent. (Perhaps it should be ¼ cup of each?)  

Recipe:  Pumpkin Raisin Muffins via Stir It Up!