Pumpkin streusel muffins with orange glaze

Early February, we went to a Home & Garden Show at the Idaho Center, where Amanda planted a single pumpkin seed in a styrofoam cup and brought it home. That seed nearly took over our pathetic summer vegetable garden and produced some humongous pumpkins. We had all kinds of pumpkin delicacies until we couldn't take it anymore. So we made pumpkin puree and froze it. A lot of it.

Fast forward almost 11 months: we made pumpkin streusel muffins today. Yum. I always cut down on the sugar, and replace a third of the white flour with wheat, and I usually get great tasting, more nutrient dense results. This time, I tripled the recipe and it didn't come out sweet enough. Soooooo, I drizzled an orange glaze over the muffins to compensate. Thankfully, that was a good save.

We shared with various neighbors.

Incidentally, pumpkin is very high in beta-carotene and potassium, not to mention a good source of magnesium and iron.

Yum.

The recipe:

Pumpkin streusel muffins with orange glaze

1/4 c margarine or butter, softened
1/2 c sugar
1/4 c packed brown sugar
2/3 c cooked pumpkin or canned pumpkin
1/2 c buttermilk
2 eggs
2 tblsp molasses
1 tsp orange zest
2 c all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp salt

streusel topping
1/3 c flour
3 tblsp brown sugar
2 tblsp cold margarine or butter

orange glaze
3/4 c powdered sugar
1-1/2 tblsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp orange zest

1. In a large bowl, cream together the margarine and sugars.
2. Add the next 5 ingredients; stir to mix well.
3. Mix together the dry ingredients; gradually add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture and stir until just combined.
4. Fill greased or paper lined muffin cups 2/3 full with batter.
5. For streusel topping: mix together the flour and brown sugar; cut in the margarine with a pastry blender (or two knives) until it resembles coarse meal.
6. Sprinkle evenly over each muffin batter.
7. Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until tests done.
8. To prepare glaze, combine powdered sugar, lemon juice and orange zest in a bowl, stirring with a whisk. Use a fork to drizzle glaze over cooled muffins.

Makes 12 muffins.