You can make the pumpkin purée for these delicious and nutritious muffins by steaming pumpkin pieces for about 15 minutes, then blending them to a purée. Or use tinned pumpkin – though you may need to add more orange juice to get the right consistency.
250g plain flour
1½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp each of ground ginger, nutmeg and cloves
150g caster sugar
Grated rind and juice from 1 orange
1 egg, beaten
200ml puréed pumpkin
90ml vegetable oil
For the orange icing:
100g icing sugar, sieved
3 tsp orange juice
Grated orange rind
Prepare 12 muffin tins with cases. Heat the oven to 190 degrees C (fan oven 180 degrees C), Gas Mark 5.
In a large bowl place the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt, spices, sugar and orange rind. In another bowl mix the orange juice, egg, pumpkin purée and oil. Pour the liquid mixture into the dry ingredients and stir lightly until just combined. It is important not to over stir. Spoon the batter in the prepared muffin cases and bake for 20 mins.
Leave to cool and make the orange icing by combining the icing sugar and orange juice together. Place a blob on top of each muffin and sprinkle with the orange rind.
