Butternut squash muffins? Does it sound weird to you? I guess not terribly weird when you consider things like carrot cake and pumpkin cookies and zucchini bread, but then Jamie Oliver goes and puts this zingy-sweetly tart topping on them, and what you’ve really got is butternut squash cupcakes, and that does sound weird. Right?
But if the idea of these muffins slash cupcakes even vaguely appeals to you, then I suggest you do yourself a favor and get thee to a food processor. Why? Because not only are they super easy to make and filled with healthy no-need-to-feel-guilty stuff, but they also go over like gangbusters with children, co-workers and full-grown veggie-hating husbands alike. To put it simply: they are totally yummy. Kind of like Jamie Oliver.
Jamie Oliver’s Butternut Squash Muffins with a Frosty Top
makes 12 – 16 muffins
14 ounces butternut squash, seeded and roughly chopped (ok to leave skin on)
2 & 1/4 cups light brown sugar (I used 1 & 1/4 cup)
4 large free-range or organic eggs
pinch of salt
2 & 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, unsifted
2 heaping tablespoons baking powder
handful of chopped walnuts
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil (I used 1/2 cup)
For the Frosted Cream Topping:
1 clementine, zested (I used an orange)
1 lemon, zested
1/2 lemon, juiced
1/2 cup sour cream (I used 2% Greek yogurt)
2 heaping tablespoons icing sugar, sifted (this is confectioner’s sugar)
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and seeds scraped out (I used 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract)
Preheat the oven to 350F. In a food processor, buzz the butternut squash until finely chopped. Add the sugar and eggs. Buzz in a pinch of salt, the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and olive oil and mix until well beaten. Scrape the sides if needed, and mix only until everything is well combined.
Fill a regular sized muffin tin lined with paper cups until each cup is just over 3/4 full. Cook 20 – 25 minutes until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Allow muffins to cool on a wire rack.
For the topping: Place the zest and lemon juice in a bowl. Add the sour cream (or yogurt), the sifted confectioner’s sugar and vanilla and mix well. Taste, and adjust the sweet and sour accordingly. Keep in the fridge until ready to top the muffins. If you like, sprinkle the topped muffins with a little more orange zest.
I just posted about a butternut squash bread today, so I was very intrigued by these cupcakes/muffins. They sound delicious to me!
First, let me profess my undying love for Jamie Oliver. Second, since you liked these muffins/cupcakes, let me kindly point you in the directon of my spiced PARSNIP cupcakes… http://straightfromthefarm.wordpress.com/2008/01/26/spiced-parsnip-cupcakes/
Yum! I am really intrigued by that frosting…it completely makes sense that you’d use yogurt instead of the sour cream. how did it go using less brown sugar and less oil? do you think they should ahve been sweeter?
My Mom has always made awesome chocolate zucchini muffins, so I know I’d love these too, they look great!
These look awesome! I’m totally bookmarking this one.
If Jamie Oliver is your bag, I’d highly recommend checking out his BBC mini-series “Jamie’s Kitchen” if you haven’t already seen it. The Brits do reality TV way better than we do… actual drama, as opposed to manufactured drama. Good stuff.
These sound delicious to me! Butternut squash is so close to pumpkin, it doesn’t sound weird to me at all
Thanks everyone!
Deborah & Jennie: I am definitely going to check both those recipes out!
Emily: Less sugar & oil worked very well, I really cant imagine wanting them to be sweeter, and my husband sure loved them. The frosting was my favorite part, I want to try it on different things.
Brilynn: chocolate zucchini muffins would probably be a goos thing to try on my husband. have you ever posted the recipe?
Clinton: I am so all over it….I have the whole series on DVD. Yes, I am a tad bit obsessed.
Hey Kitty, not to but in again with another recipe link, but here’s a good one for the chocolate zucchini muffins and one for chocolate beet cupcakes in case you want to sneak even more root vegetables by your hubby.
http://straightfromthefarm.wordpress.com/2007/08/19/beet-cake-beware/
http://straightfromthefarm.wordpress.com/2007/08/02/my-oh-my-whats-a-girl-to-do/
Those look so good. (Especially the topping!) Thanks for posting!
Oooh. I love butternut squash. These sound great. I made sweet potato cupcakes a while back. Similliar concept.
http://www.cupcakeproject.com/2007/10/sweet-potato-casserole-cupcakes-new.html
These look awesome. I’m bookmarking!!! Love your blog and photographs!!!
Terri
http://www.burningkitchen.blogspot.com
Thanks for sharing a great recipe, they look very moist and delicious. I think I would especially like that frosting!
these look very super yummy, esp the frosting. i don’t have a squash on hand just now, but i do have some sweet potatoes that need using…hmm.
thanks for the recipe!
– Us vs. Food
I made something like this around halloween last year. Ive been experimenting with different fruits and veggies, but honestly, the best Ive had so far were the squash muffins and tangerine loaf. Girl scouts honor.
I think somehow in converting to English measurements the original 2 teaspoons of baking powder was accidentally changed to 2 tablespoons of baking powder. http://www.channel4.com/food/recipes/chefs/jamie-oliver/butternut-squash-muffins-with-a-frosty-top-recipe_p_1.html
That aside, great recipe!
Sarah,
You sure? I make them quite often, they always turn out great!
Could someone tell me what 14 ounces of butternut squash chopped is equal to once blended?
I’ve had these on my to-do list for a while now and not got round to them yet…but you’ve re-inspired me! Happily the summer holidays have just begun – time, hosting and excuses to bake in abundance!
Rosie
P.S. Love the blog!
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