Recipe of the day

Pumpkin Applesauce Muffins

• 1 1/2 tablespoons melted butter or cooking spray
• 3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter , softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup applesauce
• 1 cup canned mashed pumpkin
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup apple juice or cider or orange juice
• 1 1/2 cups raisins

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease 12 half-cup muffin cups with melted butter. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and salt; set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar until creamy, 2 to 3 minutes. Beat in eggs, applesauce, pumpkin, and vanilla until blended. Add dry ingredients, alternating with the juice, beginning and ending with the dry mixture; mix until smooth. Fold in raisins.

Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filling each cup two-thirds full. Bake on the center oven rack until a toothpick inserted in the center of each muffin comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from oven and allow muffins to cool in the pans several minutes; turn muffins out onto a rack. Serve muffins warm or at room temperature. Repeat steps 1 through 3 with remaining batter.