Pumpkin Cake Mix Muffin Recipe
VirginiaLynne has been experimenting in the kitchen for almost 50 years. She loves to share her recipes, cooking tips, and reviews.
Great Gift Kids Can Make
These are my kid's favorites. They are one of the gifts that I often have them give to teachers, Sunday School teachers, or new neighbors. However, we often have to make two batches since these disappear faster than we can make them. You can also make these with nuts, dates or raisins or just omit the chocolate chips. This basic recipe can have lots of variations too. You can substitute applesauce, bananas, or any pureed vegetable/fruit combination.
Step-by-Step Photos
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Cook Time
| Prep time | Cook time | Ready in | Yields |
|---|---|---|---|
5 min | 20 min | 25 min | 24 regular size or 48 mini |
Ingredients
- 1 cake mix, white or yellow (can use sugar free or gluten free also)
- 1 can of pumpkin, 16 oz. (substitute the same amount of applesauce, mashed acorn squash or grated zucchini)
- 2 eggs, large
- 1 cup mini chocolate chips, (or dates, raisins or chopped nuts)
Instructions
- Put cake mix, pumpkin and eggs in a bowl. Mix by hand or with a mixer until moist. Lumps are ok!
- Mix in the mini chocolate chips (optional). You could also add raisins, dates, nuts or regular chocolate chips.
- Spoon into muffin cups or greased muffin tins or bread pans.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, or until top springs up when you touch it.
- Options: You can also bake in two loaf pans for 45 minutes.
Kids Cooking
Best of all, this simple recipe is one kids can follow. You can have them look at the step-by-step photos or the written instructions. Although parents may want to put the pans in and out of the oven, kids can do most of the rest on their own. Even my littlest preschoolers have loved to put the paper cups in the tins as a help when we are cooking this recipe.
Sugar Free or Gluten Free
I've also made these with no-sugar cake mixes. You can either omit the chocolate chips or add sugar-free ones. This works using a gluten-free mix and chips too. That means you have a good option for someone with special dietary needs. In addition, you can easily freeze these when they are cooked and pull them out for visitors, just in case you have someone who can't eat what you have already provided.
Teens Love them Too!
They have especially been favorites of my teenage daughter's friends. Every time she makes them, she has to take half the batch to school to share at lunch. I like the fact that they take only 5 minutes to mix, and 15 minutes to bake, so they are great if my kids have friends over. We've made them for:
- Breakfast after a sleepover.
- To eat with ice cream hot out of the oven for dessert.
- As an afternoon snack.
- To serve with tea for a tea party.
Sneak in the Veggies!
Plus, they do have pumpkin, so that counts as a vegetable, right?! However, my husband (Mr. Chocolate) says that the mini chocolate chips should count for something too! Want more chances to sneak in the veggies? You can also make these with mashed acorn squash, grated zucchini or applesauce (you might want to hold the chocolate chips).
Cake Mix Muffin Ideas
| Muffin Type | Cake Mix | Add | Extra ingredients |
|---|---|---|---|
Almond Poppyseed | white or yellow | 3 eggs, 2/3 cup milk, 1/3 cup vegetable oil | 2 TB poppyseed, 1 tea. almond extract |
Chocolate | dark chocolate | 3 eggs, 2/3 cup milk, 1/3 cup vegetable oil | 12 oz. package mini chocolate chips |
Raspberry Almond | French vanilla | 3 eggs, 2/3 cup milk, 1/3 cup vegetable oil | 1 cup fresh raspberries or 3/4 cup jam and 1 tea. almond extract |
Spice | spice | 3 eggs, 2/3 cup milk, 1/3 cup vegetable oil | Add cinnamon sugar mixture to top before baking |
Apple date | spice | 1 cup applesauce, 2 eggs, 1 cup chopped up apples | Add cinnamon sugar mixture to top before baking |
Blueberry | yellow | 3 eggs, 2/3 cup milk, 1/3 cup oil | 1-2 cups fresh blueberries (or frozen) |
Zucchini | yellow with pudding in mix | 3 eggs, 1 tea. vanilla, 1 cup grated zcchini | 1/2 cup chopped nuts, 1/2 cup golden raisins |
Orange Cranberry | yellow | 2 eggs, 1 cup orange juice, 1 cup fresh or dried cranberries | Cinnamon sugar on top before baking |
Comments
Virginia Kearney (author) from United States on September 11, 2012:
Yes--these are great and so easy. We make lots of variations of them using other mashed fruits like apples/applesauce or peaches.
alexishope on September 10, 2012:
These look delicious! And with halloween coming up now would be the perfect time to bake them. They seem easy enough and not being too skilled in the kitchen this is just the type of recipe I am looking for.
Virginia Kearney (author) from United States on July 31, 2012:
Thanks Global-Chica! That says a lot from such a global gal!
Anna from New York, NY on July 31, 2012:
Mmm I love pumpkin and I love muffins. Can't wait to try this recipe! Voted up and useful... and I'm bookmarking this.
Virginia Kearney (author) from United States on May 24, 2012:
That is a great idea to use a spice cake mix. I will definitely try that! I have a caramel frosting recipe that might be good with that too. Yum. I'm hungry!
Rose Clearfield from Milwaukee, Wisconsin on May 23, 2012:
I made a recipe similar to this in the fall that had a spice cake mix instead. I made it in a 9x13 pan instead of as cupcakes. So simple and delicious!
Virginia Kearney (author) from United States on May 22, 2012:
Thanks for stopping by Deborah--I've found you can replace the pumpkin with apple sauce or mashed banana or other fruit for a different flavor. I've also made this with sugar free or even gluten free mix.
Deborah Brooks Langford from Brownsville,TX on May 22, 2012:
this is really good.. MMMMm I will be trying this.. thanks for sharing
Debbie
