Ginger is simultaneously warming and waking, so it's a perfect ingredient to work into morning goodies. So when it's time to enjoy a little something in the morning with my second cup of coffee, II often turn to a ginger-infused muffin recipe I've come to love. A moist, tender muffin boasts loads of butternut puree -- one of my favorites -- and even a bit of coconut, but it's really all about the ginger and both powdered and crystallized versions can be found in these muffins.
As I'm mentioned before, I tend to have lots of frozen butternut puree on hand because my CSA share tends to provide copious amounts of butternut squash when it's in season in the fall and I love making sure I can enjoy it year round. If you don't happen to have a similar situation, feel free to substitute pumpkin puree ... it will be nearly identical.
If you want your muffins to boast a more caramel-like flavor, use dark brown sugar in this recipe. Otherwise, a more standard light brown sugar will do nicely. I think cinnamon pairs nicely with all the ginger, but if it's not your thing, feel free to skip that as well. Once frozen, these muffins will keep in the freezer for a few months.
Ginger Squash Muffins
- 2 large eggs
- 1 stick butter, melted
- ⅔ cup buttermilk
- ⅔ cup packed brown sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon powdered ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 cups pureed butternut squash or pumpkin
- ¾ cup shredded coconut
- ¼ cup minced crystallized ginger
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with liners; set aside.
Whisk the eggs, butter, buttermilk, and 2/3 cup brown sugar in a medium bowl. Whisk in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, powdered ginger, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Mix the egg mixture into dry ingredients until just combined. Stir in the puree, coconut, and crystallized ginger.
Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups.
Bake the muffins until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool them in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring the muffins to a wire rack and letting them cool completely.
- Yields: 12 muffins
- Preparation Time: 40 minutes