Pumpkin Mini-muffins

Everyone has a pumpkin muffin or bread recipe, and they're all pretty close to each other. Here's my variation on the theme.

Ingredients

• 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon mace or ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon grown cardamom
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 3 teaspoons cinnamon, divided
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 3/4 cups white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cups butter
• 1 can (15 oz.) canned pumpkin puree

Note: If you have a favorite pumpkin spice mix or don't have everything called for—ground cardamom isn't on most home bakers' shelves, and it's probably not worth buying for just the tiny amount called for here—you can safely make up the difference with one of the others. A little less than a tablespoon of total spices is about right.

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 350°F/175°C.
2. Grease the muffin pan well.
3. Whisk or sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and spices. Set these dry ingredients aside.
4. Combine the brown sugar and 2 teaspoons of the cinnamon. Set aside.
5. Cream together the sugar, eggs, and butter until the mixture is light and fluffy.
6. Mix in the pumpkin.
7. Fold in the dry ingredients and mix just until incorporated.
8. Fill mini-muffin cups about 2/3 full. (Remember to use water for any empties you have in the pan.)
9. Sprinkle the brown sugar mixture on top, about 1/2 teaspoon for each.
10. Bake for about 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out clean, or with only a few cooked crumbs sticking to it.
11. Remove from pan and allow to cool on a rack.

Yield

Makes at least 4 dozen.