Dorie's Pumpkin Muffins

I am the first to admit that I have a problem. I make something one day and then I want to compare other recipes for the same item and so I do! Of course, I wanted to try Dorie's take on Pumpkin Muffins and no one is sorry I did. They are absolutely delicious- the texture is great, not too dense, the flavor is wonderful- they disappeared (Mostly because of my teenage brother :)

Pumpkin Muffins from Dorie Greenspan's Baking from my home to yours

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsps baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

3/4 tsp ground cinnamon (I used 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp ground cardamom)

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/8 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

pinch of ground allspice

1 stick (8 Tbls) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup (packed) light brown sugar

2 large eggs

1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

3/4 cup canned unsweetened pumpkin puree

1/4 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup moist, plump golden raisins (I use regular raisins)

1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

About 1/3 cup unsalted raw sunflower seeds, for topping (I used pepitas)

Getting Ready: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Butter or spray the 12 molds on a regular-size muffin pan or fit the molds with paper muffin cups.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter at medium speed until soft. Add both the sugars and continue to beat until light and smooth. One by one, add the eggs, beating for a minute after the eggs are incorporated, then beat in the vanilla. Lower the mixer speed and mix in the pumpkin and buttermilk. With the mixer at low speed, add the dry ingredients in a steady stream, mixing only until they disappear. To avoid overmixing, you can stop the machine early and stir any remaining dry ingredients into the batter using a rubber spatula. Stir in the raisins and nuts. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups and sprinkle a few sunflower seeds over the top of each muffin.

Bake for about 25 minutes, or until a thin knife inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool the muffins for 5 minutes in the pan, then carefully remove each one from its mold and finish cooling on the rack.

We enjoyed ours plain, but Dorie suggests a little butter and a lot of orange marmalade or apricot jam.