PUMPKIN DATE MUFFINS/BREAD

When I found myself restless on Sunday, I naturally gravitated to my kitchen. It was a beautiful sunny day even though the weatherman had called for rain. It would have been a good day for a Sunday afternoon drive, but instead I spent half of the day in the kitchen and Wayne was organizing some things in the newly remodeled bathroom.

I had two recipes I wanted to make - one for a Pumpkin Date Bread and one for an Apple Fritter Bread. I wanted to make the latter to take to the thrift shop the next morning. It sounded like something the volunteers would like. I thought I would make the Pumpkin Date Bread for us and maybe give some away. Recently when I shared one of my quick breads Friend Julie asked me if I thought she could make it as muffins instead of a big loaf. I told her I thought so, but she could also make it as two mini loaves. She said she didn't have any mini loaf pans and thought she would try it as muffins. That gave me the idea to make the Pumpkin Date Bread as muffins instead of as a loaf. 

Well, it worked out great. Wayne liked the idea, too. I told him we could always freeze some of the muffins and he liked that idea. I had cut the recipe from a magazine (?) and glued it in my Blue Binder that I started many, many years ago. Ruth McKay from Hopkins, MI had shared the recipe for her diabetic husband. She said she appreciated recipes that fit his restricted diet but were still nice and moist and flavorable. 

As I said, I made 18 muffins instead of an 8 x 4 - inch loaf. I also used eggs instead of egg substitute and butter instead of margarine. I ended up giving Friend Sharon four of the muffins and we are going to enjoy the other twelve. I am freezing some so that we spread out our enjoyment. We do love dates! 

PUMPKIN DATE MUFFINS or BREAD

1/3       cup butter, softened

3          tablespoons brown sugar

Egg substitute equivalent to 2 eggs (I used 2 eggs, beaten)

1          cup solid-pack pumpkin

1          cup whole wheat flour

1/2       cup all-purpose flour

1          teaspoon baking powder

1          teaspoon baking soda

1-1/2    teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2       teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4       teaspoon salt

1/4       teaspoon ground cloves

1/4       teaspoon ground allspice

1/2       cup buttermilk

1          cup quick-cooking oats

 1/2      cup chopped dates

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8 x 4 - inch loaf pan or muffin tins to make 18 muffins with non-stick cooking spray.

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar.

Beat in egg substitute (or eggs, beaten) and pumpkin.

Combine the dry ingredients with a whisk and

add to the creamed mixture alternately with

buttermilk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients mixture.

Stir in oats and dates.

(You might notice in my pictures that I scrape the sides of the bowl, often.)

Pour into loaf pan or divide batter into 18 muffins. If you are not concerned about sugar, I would suggest at this point that you sprinkle just a little sugar on top. (I will do this the next time.)

(I use my ice cream scoop. Measures perfect amount.)

Bake the loaf for 75 minutes (check after 60) or 20 minutes for muffins. Check doneness with a toothpick.

Cool in pan 10 minutes.

Remove to a wire rack to cool.