Caramel Apple Muffins

These muffins are to die for! Spiced apples, warm, gooey caramel - it's like taking a bite of autumn. Any one who loves caramel apples will love these muffins. These are great served for breakfast or as a midday pick-me-up with a cup of coffee or tea or a glass of cold milk. Substitute Kraft Caramel Bits for the caramels if your grocery store carries them.

Caramel Apple Muffins
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons Watkins Baking Powder
2 teaspoons Watkins Ground Cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 cup 2% milk
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 teaspoons Watkins Vanilla Extract
1/2 cup chopped peeled tart apple
12 caramels, chopped

Topping
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup quick-cooking oats
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon Watkins Ground Cinnamon

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. In another bowl, whisk the egg, milk, butter and vanilla. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in apple and caramels.

Fill paper-lined muffin cups three-fourths full. Combine topping ingredients; sprinkle over batter.

Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the cake portion comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. Serve warm. Yield: 12-14 muffins.
 
Happy apple autumn!
Eleisia
 
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Pumpkin Spice Cake

Watkins Pumpkin Pie Spice isn't just for pumpkin pie! This spice blend tastes great in cakes, breads, coffee, cookies, ice cream, and oatmeal. Here is a delicious cake that uses pumpkin pie spice.

Pumpkin Spice Cake
1 pkg. (2-layer size) yellow cake mix
1 pkg. (3.4 oz.) Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding
1 cup mashed cooked fresh pumpkin
1/2 cup Oil
1/2 cup Water
3 Eggs
1 Tbsp. Watkins Pumpkin Pie Spice
Cream Cheese Frosting
1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans

Heat oven to 350°F.

Combine first 7 ingredients with mixer until well blended. Pour into 13x9-inch pan sprayed with Watkins Cooking Spray and dusted with flour.

Bake 32 to 35 min. or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely.

Spread with Cream Cheese Frosting; sprinkle with nuts. Keep refrigerated.

Cream Cheese Frosting
1 pkg. (8 oz.) Cream Cheese, softened
1/4 cup Butter or margarine, softened
1 tsp. Watkins Original Double-Strength Vanilla
1 pkg. (16 oz.) powdered sugar (about 4 cups), sifted

Beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla in large bowl with mixer until well blended.

Add sugar gradually, beating after each addition until well blended.


How to Cook Fresh Pumpkin

Cut a 4- to 5-lb. pumpkin in half with a large knife. Scoop out seeds and stringy fiber. Save seeds for roasting, if desired. Cut pumpkin into 1-1/2-inch cubes. Place pumpkin in large saucepan. Add water to 1-inch depth. Bring to boil; cover. Reduce heat and simmer 25 to 30 min. or until pumpkin is fork-tender. Drain well; cool just until pumpkin is easy to handle. Remove peel. Mash with potato masher for a chunky mixture. For a smoother consistency, process pumpkin in a food processor. Drain mashed pumpkin in sieve for about 20 minutes to remove excess liquid. Store in refrigerator up to 5 days. Cooked pumpkin can also be frozen up to 6 months in resealable freezer-weight plastic bags.

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Pumpkin Butter Cupcakes

Watkins Pumpkin Butter is one of our Seasonal Favorites Gift Line products for 2010. It tastes great spread on bread, toast, biscuits, and quick breads. Buy a jar for your family and a jar for a friend.

Put together a gift basket or a gift bowl with a jar of Watkins Pumpkin Butter, Watkins Pumpkin Bread Mix, a whisk, and a festive napkin, towel, or oven mitt for a lovely holiday gift or birthday present.

Pumpkin Butter Cupcakes

2 1/4 cup/560 mL all-purpose flour
1 tbsp/15 mL Watkins Baking Powder
1/2 tsp/2.5 mL baking soda
1/2 tsp/2.5 mL salt
1/2 tsp/2.5 mL Watkins Organic Cinnamon
1/2 tsp/2.5 mL Watkins Organic Ginger
1/2 tsp/2.5 mL Watkins Organic Nutmeg
1/2 cup/125 mL butter, softened
1 1/3 cups/325 mL sugar
2 eggs
1 cup/250 mL Watkins Pumpkin Butter or canned pumpkin
3/4 cup/180 mL milk
3/4 cup/180 mL chopped walnuts

Brown Sugar Frosting

1/4 cup/60 mL butter
6 tbsp/90 mL brown sugar
6 tbsp/90 mL half-and-half
2 cups/500 mL powdered sugar
1 tsp/5 mL Watkins Original Double-Strength Vanilla

Pumpkin Butter Cupcakes
In medium bowl stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. In large bowl cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy; beat in eggs. Blend in pumpkin. Stir in dry ingredients and milk, blending until batter is smooth. Stir in chopped walnuts. Spoon batter into paper lined muffin tins. Fill about 2/3 full. Bake at 375°F/190C for 18 to 22 minutes. Makes 16 cupcakes.

Brown Sugar Frosting
In 2 quart/2 liter saucepan melt butter over medium heat. Add brown sugar and half-and-half. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until mixture comes to a boil (2 to 3 minutes). Remove from heat and add powdered sugar and vanilla; beat until well mixed (1 to 2 minutes). Let cool to spreading consistency (5 to 10 minutes). Frost cupcakes.

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Homemade Cherry-Vanilla Cream Soda

Keep things cool with a simple, homemade version of this soda shoppe classic. Thick with the flavor of vanilla, served chilled in a tall glass, this homemade cream soda is a delightfully easy summer treat. For a special treat skip the ice and add a scoop of vanilla or cherry ice cream.

2 cups sugar
2 tablespoons Watkins Vanilla Extract
1/4 tablespoon of Watkins Almond Extract
1/4 cup cherry juice
1 quart soda water

1. In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup water and the sugar. Boil over medium heat for 2 minutes or until the mixture is reduced to a thin syrup.

3. Allow the syrup to cool. Stir in the vanilla and almond extracts and the cherry juice.

4. Pour 2 tablespoons of the cherry-vanilla syrup over ice cubes in a tall glass and fill with soda water. Stir to combine. Yield: Serves 8

Look for cherry juice in the natural foods section of the market if it is not in the juice aisle.