Pumpkin Panettone Muffins with Toasted Walnuts

The season of Autumn is in full swing in every town you live. Here in the Northeast, it is extremely prevelant because we are blessed with the annual burst of color from our fall foliage (though raking the piles and piles of leaves is no blessing!) Everywhere you look, the American necessity of Pumpkin flavored foods has burst forth. There are Pumpkin Spice Oreos, Miniwheats, Poptarts, and of course the Pumpkin Pie Frappacino. Much to my surprise, I have taken notice of an Italian Classic that has been Pumpkinified. The traditional Italian Christmas Cake known as Panettone is now Pumpkin Flavored, and has been for a few years.

Now, one would assume that America was the inventor of all things Pumpkin, but there are estimations that Italy Produces more pumpkins than America. The have been using pumpkins in recipes dating back to the 1500’s, for dishes like lasagne, tortellini, rice, and muffins. I wrote my own ‘Panettone alla Zucca’ recipe that had no dairy so my family could finally try Panettone. I will also be making the more bread-like yeast leavened version soon. Buon Appetito!

Pumpkin Pannettone Muffins

Time: 2 hours
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Ingredients

Pre-heat oven 350°

15 oz can of pumpkin
2/3 cup canola oil
2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/3 c. sugar
4 eggs
3 c unbleached flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon, nutmeg and ground cloves
1/2 c. chopped walnuts, and 1/2 c. raisins

Directions

Whisk together the first 5 ingredients in a large bowl.
In a seperate bowl, sift and mix the dry ingredients together, adding them in by stirring with a wooden spoon.
Pour into pans or in my case, panettone papers. They can also be made into muffins in a (bottom only) greased muffin pan.
Bake loaves 30-40 minutes in a 350° oven or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Check after 25 minutes and every 5 minutes thereafter. Muffins don’t take as long and may be done sooner.