The Kosher Connection link up is a bunch of Kosher bloggers from around the world who once a month rise to a recipe challenge based on a theme. This month's theme is recipes for the holiday of the century or as rumor has it, the holiday that we will have again in 70,000 years, a combo of Thanksgiving and Chanuka, otherwise known as Thanksgivikkuh!
To my children's chagrin, I am planning on celebrating this holiday with my family albeit on Friday night and not on the Thursday night of Thanksgiving. My children, US passport holders, but born and raised in Israel and partially in South Africa, do not strongly embrace their American roots and tend to balk at many US customs and traditions. On the other hand, they started a "custom" two years ago of decorating one of our potted trees from the balcony and calling it our Chanukka bush...which for me feels horrifically wrong but to them it is just good, clean fun.
But stubborn as I am, and always one for a "themed" meal, we are going to "do" Thanksgivikkuh. It's next week and I'm still not sure what's on the menu but we will be having turkey legs and turkey breast for our main course and these pumpkin donut muffins as part of our dessert spread.
Butternut Squash Donut Muffins
Let me tell you the truth, these muffins have no resemblance to a donut. They are however delicious. I have a feeling that Martha Stewart's recipe of this same name that is made with butter probably has a more donutty consistency but these are pure cakey muffins. However, as I am trying to avoid fried foods to prevent high "bad" cholesterol, the name will stick. At least, then I can say I had a Chanuka donut (muffin)! I will confess that I plan on buying a couple of the gourmet ones sold here in Israel from Roladin or one of the other Cafe chains...but to make them myself would be sacrilege, not to mention, TOO MUCH WORK!
This recipe is based on several that I saw on the internet but adjusted to be pareve (non-dairy) and more healthy.
Ingredients for Muffins
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup demerara or golden pure cane sugar
1/3 cup white sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp. baking power
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
pinch or two or salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/3 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/3 cups white flour
1 cup soy milk
1/3 cup butternut squash or pumpkin puree from roasted or boiled squash/pumpkin
Glaze
2 cups powdered sugar
2 1/2-3 TBSP soy milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
Directions
Preheat oven to 425 F/220 C
Line muffin pan with paper cupcake liners
In a large mixing bowl beat oil and sugars
Add vanila and eggs one at at time
Add baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt.
In a small bowl mix butternut puree and soy milk.
Add flour and puree mixture to oil sugar mixture a little at a time alternating until all of the ingredients are mixed well.
Spoon into muffin pan.
Bake muffins for 1517 mins or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean
Cool muffins slightly
Mix glaze ingredients together and drizzle on to muffins and spreading evenly on to the muffin tops. The glaze will quickly harden.
Taste a muffin to "make sure it came out ok" and then forbid everybody else from eating the muffins until Thankgivikkuh!
