Finished dish photo of Quick and Fluffy Pumpkin Muffins, Golden and Delicious!

Quick and Fluffy Pumpkin Muffins, Golden and Delicious!

With just a few hours left in the day, is there still time to whip up a dessert? How about taking a little time to make these ultra-quick and super fluffy pumpkin muffins? This is yet another very quick dessert to make. Aside from the time spent steaming the pumpkin, the remaining steps take only minutes. The pumpkin not only brings a golden hue to the muffins but also provides an incredibly soft texture. Doesn't it feel so warm and comforting?

Ingredients

#【Pumpkin Muffins】(Yields approximately 3 pieces)to taste
Low-gluten flour100g
Milk powder10g
Vegetable oil (or melted butter)60g
Egg1 (approximately 50g without shell)
Granulated sugar45g
Pumpkin puree100g
Baking powder4g
#Crumble topping:6g
Powdered sugar6g
Low-gluten flour10g
Butter6g

Steps

1

First, prepare the pumpkin puree. Peel, de-seed, and dice the pumpkin into small pieces (prepare about 200g of pumpkin).

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2

Microwave the pumpkin on high for about 8 minutes or steam it for about 15 minutes until it becomes soft and mushy (the standard is that you can mash it easily with a spatula). ☆ Whether using a microwave or steamer, cover the bowl with heat-resistant plastic wrap or a lid (poke some holes in the wrap for ventilation). Especially in a steamer, not covering it may result in excess steam entering the pumpkin, making it too watery.

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3

Let the steamed pumpkin cool, then mash it into pumpkin puree using a spatula (if the pumpkin is soft enough, it will easily mash into a puree. Try to mash it until smooth).

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4

If you have a stick blender, use it to blend the pumpkin briefly for a smoother puree. ☆ Can you use a blender? It’s not recommended because the small quantity may just stick to the sides, making it hard to blend evenly.

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5

Take a large bowl and add all the ingredients except the low-gluten flour and baking powder (egg, milk powder, sugar, oil, pumpkin puree). ☆ Measure 100g of pumpkin puree to add; any extra can be eaten directly and shouldn’t be added to the batter. ☆ Use regular whole milk powder. It enhances flavor and texture and is not recommended to be omitted.

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6

Mix thoroughly into a liquid mixture.

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7

Sift the mixed low-gluten flour and baking powder into the liquid mixture.

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8

Mix until it forms a batter. ☆ Do not overmix; just mix until the flour and liquid are fully combined.

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9

Place cupcake liners in the molds, then pipe the batter into the liners, filling them to about 12/10 full. ☆ Using a piping bag makes it easier to fill the liners. For a tall muffin with a high dome, fill it to 12/10 full. To achieve regular-sized domed muffins, fill them about 7/10 to 8/10 full (bake time will be shorter).

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10

To prepare the crumble topping, cut chilled butter into small pieces (don’t let it soften), mix it with the flour and powdered sugar, and quickly rub and crumble it with your hands to form granules as shown. ☆ The amount of crumble is relatively small, so it’s fine to prepare it after the batter is ready. You can also skip this step.

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11

Sprinkle the crumble on top of the batter and remove any scattered crumbs. Place the mold into a preheated oven at 175°C (347°F) and bake for 25-30 minutes until fully risen and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean (adjust time and temperature according to your oven).

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Cooking Tips

Tips: 1. Although the crumble can be omitted, it not only enhances the texture but also makes the muffins look more appealing and appetizing. Since it’s quick to make, try not to skip it. 2. Baking powder is essential to help the muffins rise, so don’t omit it. 3. Once the muffin batter is ready, bake it promptly without letting it sit too long. 4. This recipe yields three large muffins. If you'd like to make more, simply double the ingredients. However, if you’re using a 6-cup muffin pan like mine, since the cup spacing is close, I recommend alternating cups as shown in the process photos to bake three at a time. If you fill all six cups, the muffin tops may merge during baking (alternatively, consider using a 12-cup muffin pan to bake six at once). Since the batter comes together quickly, you can prepare the batter for the next batch while the first batch is almost done baking.