Holiday Recipes: Guest Host — Darby Hawley

Today starts a November Sunday series on my blog for Holiday Recipes.  And today's guest post is by my wonderful bloggy friend, Darby!! 

Darby has a super cute blog called "Life with the Hawleys" and if you don't already follow her, well, you will want to now!  She is also the mom of one precious pup named Tomlin.  Enjoy this first post of the series!! 

I have to be honest, I am beyond thrilled and honored to be guest posting today on a Socialite’s blog.  Does that make me a socialite too? I sure do hope so ;-) 
I wanted to share with you a special recipe in our house for this season.  Family, friends, and my husband beg me to make them all the time.  I cook these mini pumpkin muffins so many times throughout October & November that I’ve practically memorized the recipe.  Personally I think these little gems are delicious, but they are also so pretty and festive.  My husband and I love these muffins with our coffee in the morning. hmmmmmm just thinking about that makes me crave them.  This recipe was originally for Pumpkin Spice Cake (by Better Homes), but I’ve adapted it to work for muffins. The pan I use is from Pampered Chef, and I think it’s been discontinued, but it looks very similar to this one from William-Sonoma.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup butter
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 cup shortening
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup canned pumpkin (As a staple in my baking I only use Libby's Pumpkin)
• vanilla icing (I buy mine and then dye it myself)

Directions:

1.    Allow butter and eggs to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.  Meanwhile grease and flour pan and set aside.  In a medium bowl stir together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg, cloves and ginger; set aside.

2.    In a mixing bowl beat butter and shortening with an electric mixer on a medium to high speed for 30 seconds.  Add sugar and vanilla; beat until well combined.  Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.  In a separate small bowl, mix together butter and canned pumpkin.  Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk-pumpkin mixture to butter mixture, beating on a low speed after each addition just until combined.  Pour into prepared pans, only filing cups halfway. 

3.    Bake in a preheated over at 350 degrees for 15-17 minutes, until a wooden toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.  Cool for 10 minutes before trying to take out of the pan and then allow to cool for an additional 30 minutes before trying to frost or glaze.

I made these around Halloween and added a plastic rat because I was trying to be spooky :-)  

Thank you so much Joy for having me :-) I hope you all enjoy these festive muffins as much as we do!


Thanks Darby!  I can't wait to try your recipe!  Hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend!!