Gingerbread Cupcakes

 Easy Gingerbread Cupcakes.  This recipes makes about 12.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup warm water
2 eggs
1 1/4 cup molasses
2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon of salt

Cream the butter and sugar and then add the rest of the ingredients.   Mix until combined and then fill muffin tins lined with a paper liner.  Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes

Max's Pumpkin Muffins

Ingredients:  1 cup granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons of caramelized honey, 1 tablespoon agave/maple syrup, 1/2 cup vegetable oil, 2 eggs, 1/2 can pumpkin (about 8 ounces), 1 1/2 cups of flour, 1 teaspoon of baking powder, 1 splash of whiskey, 1/2 teaspoon each of the following spices: nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, black cardamom.  Feel free to adjust the spices to your taste and you can easily omit the liquor.

Preheat oven to 350

Optional nut topping: 1 tablespoon of brown sugar and about 1/4 cup of finely chopped pecans.  Combine in a small bowl and reserve.

Pulse all your dry ingredients together in the food processor.  Then add all the wet ingredients and pulse a few more times to combine.

Spoon batter into a muffin pan.  I like to fill  mine pretty full.   This recipe makes 1 dozen large muffins and about 1 1/2 dozen smaller muffins.  After filling the pan you can sprinkle some of the nut topping onto each muffin.

Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Date Bran Muffins with Honey & Brown Sugar

Ingredients: 1 cup wheat bran, 1 cup buttermilk*, 1/4 cup vegetable oil, 1/4 cup brown sugar (+ 2 tablespoons for later), 2 eggs, 1/2 cup honey, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, 1 1/2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1 cup chopped dates, 1 large banana,  1/2 cup nuts**

Preheat Oven to 400 degrees and line a dozen muffin tins with paper liners.

Microwave the banana  on high for about 90 seconds and mash with a fork.  In a large bowl combine all the other ingredients and mix well.  Add in the banana.  Sprinkle extra 2 tablespoons of brown sugar on top of the muffins to create a nice golden sugary crust. 

*You can substitue the buttermilk for plain milk or soymilk.
** I suggest walnuts, but feel free to add in some almonds or chopped pecans.

One more note:   You can go Vegan on these by omitting the honey in favor of molasses and using egg substitute.