Sweet Treats: Perfect and Easy Pumpkin, Chocolate Chip and Blackberry Muffins Recipe

 

The pumpkin muffin bandwagon is hopping this time o' year. So, I made this recipe with my own spin.

The EASIEST method is to mix 1 can of pumpkin with 1 box of spice cake mix and THAT IS IT!!!

If you only have yellow cake mix, (like I did), just spice it up. A mix of nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, ginger and/or pumpkin pie spice will do the trick and THAT IS IT!!!!

If you want to up the yumminess factor, than go cray-cray with some add ins. My weapons of choice: Chocolate chips and blackberries. (Cranberries, walnuts, raisins, strawberries, mint or white chocolate chips, anything would be good). I mix in about 3 cups of chips, then after the mix is in the muffin tins, I cut the blackberries in half and dot them on the tops of the muffins. Then, bake at 350 degrees till toothpick inserted in center comes out clean and the muffins pull away from the sides. Easy, peasy and soOooOOoooOoooo delicious.

Sweet Treats: Banana Bread Chocolate Chip and Blackberry Muffins Recipe

I was going to make banana bread. My last loaf was amazing... except for the entire burnt two inch layer on the bottom in that we had to hack away the delicious bread to eat. Let's just say, I'm still learning how to use this decrepit oven of mine.

I thought I would try muffins this time due to the tragedy of my first and last bread experiment. I used a very basic recipe, then as I loaded up the tin for the second batch thought, "Hey, lets have fun with this and try a few things out".

*please excuse my not so beautiful looking pan, thanks*

So, for one row of muffins, I added raisins. Another row, semi-sweet chocolate chips. Another row, blackberries... and one little muffin I mixed in all three (that one coveted muffin was delicious, especially all warm and gooey and smothered in butter!) I'm glad I mixed in some flavor, b/c quite honestly the first batch of banana/walnut muffins were a little bland.

So, as you can see, I still managed to burn these babies a smidgen... even though I seriously cooked them for almost 10 mins less than the suggested time. Maybe I had it set on the wrong heat? Yeah, that must be it... I will be more careful next time, because there WILL be a next time. I used his banana bread recipe and added a few things:

♥ Banana Muffins with Mix-Ins ♥

1/2 c oil
2 eggs
1 c sugar
4 mashed bananas (mashed very, very smooth.... no lumps!)

~mix all together in a bowl, then add in:

2 c flour
1 TB baking soda
1 pinch salt
3/4 c chopped walnuts
cinnamon
dash pure vanilla extract
1 c of either~ raisins, chopped blackberries or semi sweet chocolate chips (c. chips+blackberries are awesome)

~ Grease/flour muffin tin or use cupcake liners. Bake at 350 degrees 25 mins or until toothpick inserted in  center of muffin comes out clean. Top with a bit of butter (I use Smart Balance, makes me feel healthier) and serve.

 *If you are in a major blackberry mood, then try my scones or these ideas*

OH! Linked up to Sweet as Sugar Cookies' Sweets for Saturday
and  The Vintage Farmhouse