Pumpkin Muffin Challenge Round 2

Sophie comes running for leftover pumpkin.
Using a recipe I found online that included an extra egg, more pumpkin, more canola oil, brown sugar, and 2 T. of molasses, I baked the second batch of pumpkin muffins to see if I can better approximate the ones I love at Whole Foods. (Scroll down to my August 18 post.) The result: I'm getting closer, but I still have a ways to go. I need to increase the oil to 3/4 cup (That's what this recipe called for, but it seemed like so much, I tried decreasing to a half cup, which is already more than I want to consume.) I need to use more brown sugar, maybe up to 2/3 cup. And more spices. The 1 tsp. of ginger was nowhere near enough, or perhaps my ginger is too old. So now I face Round 3, but it won't happen until we've eaten Rounds 1 and 2, which are currently taking up space in our freezer. This will take a couple of weeks, I think.

One observation: As far as calories go, one of my blueberry muffins has far fewer calories than one Round 2 pumpkin muffin. There is twice as much oil in the Round 2 muffins. And to think that Round 3 will have three times as much! Maybe it's time to wean myself off of them.

Round 2 Recipe
1 cup pumpkin
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
2 T. molasses
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. cloves
1 tsp. ginger
In a blender, blend the pumpkin, brown sugar, oil, molasses, and eggs. Whisk the dry ingredients together. Mix the pumpkin blend into the dry ingredients and stir until just barely mixed. Pour into greased muffin pan. Bake at 375 degrees about 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven when wet batter no longer sticks to the toothpick. Don't wait for the toothpick to come out clean, however. That's too long! Makes 6 extra large muffins.