Baking Partners Challenge #3: Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffin

This is my entry 2nd entry for Baking Partners and for this month, the challenge is to make muffin using pumpkin as main ingredient. 

Out of the three recipe options I chose Reshmi of Easy Cook's suggestion: Pumpkin chocolate chips Muffin as this is the one with ingredients that I can produce. Tried finding cardamom here but it seems  not available in the local market so I can't make the recipe with spiced buttercream and pecans. 

For the case of pumpkin puree, I had to make a homemade version since our groceries do not carry this product as well. I got a good tip online to peel and cut squash into small pieces (remove seeds) and bake them. This will ensure that the puree is not watery. ]

I also couldn't find ground ginger so I used powdered Salabat (powdered ginger with cayenne pepper, mixed with hot water to relieve sore throat). Talk about alternatives. At first I thought maybe I can do away with ginger but I feel like it will not be the same without this ingredient. 

I totally enjoyed this recipe, mixing veggie and chocolate. My daughter helped me make the muffins and she knew there's squash in there which she's not so fond of, but she ate the muffin anyway. They were irrestible!

The ingredients. I'm a big fan of nutmeg and cinnamon so I added a little bit more of those :)

 My avid helper

While the muffins bake. The smell of squash, nutmeg, cinnamon - totally intoxicating!

the finish product

I attempted to make a one-eyed monster out of chocolate coated almond but I think it was a flop,lol!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins:

1 1/2 cups (195 grams) all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup (200 grams) granulated white sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3/4 cup (180 ml) solid packed, canned pumpkin puree

1 cup (175 grams) semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C). Place rack in the middle of the oven. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners or spray each cup with a non stick vegetable spray.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, ground spices, and salt.

In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla extract. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and pumpkin puree, in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Fold in the chocolate chips.  

Fill the muffin cups evenly with the batter using two spoons or an ice cream scoop. Place in the oven and bake for about 18 - 20 minutes, or until firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted in the center of one of the muffins comes out clean. Place on a wire rack to cool.

Makes 12 regular-sized muffins.

Note: The batter can be baked in a 9-inch (23 cm) loaf pan. Butter or spray the loaf pan with a non stick vegetable spray. Bake the loaf in a 350 degree F (177 degree C) oven for about 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean.