Butternut Squash Muffins

These butternut squash muffins remind me of carrot cake or zucchini bread, so sweet, dense, and moist. 

These butternut squash muffins are loaded with grated butternut squash, and are flavored with cinnamon, brown sugar, and pecans. They are drizzled with a very grown up vanilla, citrus zest, and sour cream topping when served.

I have had a big butternut squash sitting on my kitchen counter since Christmas. Fortunately, I knew that it had been freshly harvested in December, but still, I was pushing the limit. According to the interwebs, butternut squash lasts on the counter for 1 to 3 months. It was time to address the butternut squash in the room.

Then my friend Sally of Bewitching Kitchen posted a butternut squash slaw. Another needed kick in the butt. Luckily, the one on my kitchen counter was still fresh and firm, and perfect for these muffins.

You know how you shred raw carrots for carrot cake? Well you can also shred raw butternut squash and bake it into muffins, and probably cake too. No roasting necessary.

I've been baking a new muffin recipe every month, and this one hands down produces the most moist muffins I've ever made. I love the cinnamon flavor too. In addition, the muffins include finely chopped pecans.

After the recipe, be sure to check out the rest of the muffins from the Muffin Monday bakers. Thank you to Kelly of Passion Kneaded for putting together the list of participants.

Butternut Squash Muffin Recipe

Ingredients

• 14 ounces of chopped fresh butternut squash
• 2 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar
• 4 large room temperature eggs
• 1/3 cup pecans
• 3/4 cups grapeseed oil
• 2 1/2 cups (11 1/4 ounces) unbleached all purpose flour
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• Zest of one tangerine
• Zest of one lemon
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons sour cream
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla bean crush or the seeds from one vanilla bean
• Enough powdered sugar (about 1/2 cup) to create a glaze

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line two 12 cavity muffin pans with paper liners.
2. In a large food processor, process the butternut squash until it is finely chopped. Add the sugar, the eggs, and the pecans, and process until everything is well mixed.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Add the liquid ingredients from the food processor to the dry ingredients, and stir until just combined.
4. Divide the batter among the muffin cavities, filling each up to about 3/8 to 1/4 inch from the top.
5. Bake the muffins, one pan at a time, for 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a rack for about 10 minutes. Remove the muffins from the pan and continue to cool on a wire rack.
6. To make the topping, whisk together the zest, sour cream, vanilla, and the powdered sugar until smooth. Keep covered in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Yield: 18 to 20 Muffins

Recipe idea inspired by Food Network

#MuffinMonday is a group of muffin loving bakers who get together once a month to bake muffins. You can see all our of lovely muffins by following our Pinterest board.

Updated links for all of our past events and more information about Muffin Monday, can be found on our home page.

• Buttersquash Muffins by Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Graham Cracker Muffins with Carrots and Raisins by Sew You Think You Can Cook
• Lemon Crumb Muffins by Making Miracles
• Strawberry Orange Muffins by A Day in the Life in the Farm