Pumpkin Spice Muffins with Cream Cheese Frosting(The Pioneer Woman)

I feel hesitate to post out this bake. I dislike the texture of these muffins. I don’t think is the recipe problem because I tend to get slightly chewy texture (kueh-like texture) when pumpkin puree is used as the main ingredient. I’m not sure why. Could it due to reduce too much sugar? Or over mix the batter? Or not using enough baking powder? As I understand pumpkin has high moisture contents and therefore requires more baking powder to lift up the bakes. I used the same amount of baking powder as stated in the recipe and yet not giving good result. Could it be my baking powder is not active anymore?

Is anyone has the same problem like me when baking with pumpkin in cake/ quick bread? Anyone know how to get success bakes with pumpkin? Do share if you have any other pumpkin cake/ quick bread recipes that yield moist and cakey texture. Looking forward to have success bakes with pumpkin in future.

Adapted with minor modification from The Pioneer Woman

Pumpkin Spice Muffins (With Cream Cheese Frosting)

yields 10 muffins

Ingredients:

~muffins

(A)

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon cinnamon powder

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

¼ teaspoon salt

50g sugar

60g cold butter, cut into pieces

(B)

245g pumpkin puree

½ cup milk

1 whole egg

1½ teaspoon vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon fresh grated ginger

~topping

1 tablespoon brown sugar

½ teaspoon cinnamon powder

~frosting

50g softened butter

75g cream cheese, room temperature

30g icing sugar

50g whipping cream

Methods:

1. Sift flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a mixing bowl. Add in sugar and stir to mix. Rub in butter pieces with hands (pastry blender even better) until it is fully incorporated.

2. In a separate bowl, mix together pumpkin, milk, egg, vanilla and grated ginger. Pour pumpkin mixture into the flour mixture. Fold gently until mixture is just combined.

3. Pour batter into muffin moulds about ¾ full. Sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar mixture over the top of each unbaked muffin.

4. Bake in preheated oven at 200C for 25 minutes. Allow to cool completely before apply cream cheese frosting.

5. To make the frosting, mix all ingredients and beat until soft and whipped. Spread onto completely cooled muffins, or place into a pastry bag with a star tip pipe as you like. Store in the fridge, as icing will soften at room temperature.

*The frosting might be too soft after whipped. Do keep in fridge about 30 minutes before used.

I'm linking this post to Cook like a Star, Ree Drummond organised Zoe from Bake for Happy Kids, Yen from Eat your heart out and Mich from Piece of Cake.