(Gluten free) Pumpkin Muffins

Yesterday was the first really cold day we've had this fall, so we lit the fireplace and I put on some warm socks and a sweater and baked some pumpkin muffins.  I wanted to use one of the Betty Crocker gluten free baking mixes but I couldn't find a recipe that incorporated the mix, so I made up my own.  I basically just followed the cupcake instructions on the back of the box, except I replaced 2 of the eggs with a 1/2 cup of pumpkin and added some yummy spices.

Ingredients:

• Betty Crocker Gluten Free Yellow Cake Mix
• 2/3 cup water
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) softened butter
• 2 teaspoons gluten free vanilla
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup canned pumpkin
• 1 tbsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

Directions:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees.
• Beat all of the ingredients on low speed for 30 seconds, then on medium speed for 2 minutes, scraping the bowl occasionally.
• Pour the batter into 18 paper baking cups in muffin pans.
• Bake for 18-23 minutes.  When a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, they are fully cooked.

I'm so happy with the way these muffins turned out!  They are nice and moist because of the pumpkin, with a delicate flavor to them.  But really, how could they not be good?  I made them with cake mix, so they are basically cupcakes masquerading as muffins, and who doesn't love that?  If you topped these with some cream cheese frosting (and maybe even added a few chocolate chips to the batter) you would have some seriously awesome cupcakes.  But I'm choosing to pop them in the microwave for a few seconds, spread some butter on them, and eat them like the fabulous fall breakfast treat that they are (accompanied by a steaming cup of coffee, of course).

Happy fall!

xoxo

Laura