Pumpkin Pie Muffins with Lemon Cashew Cream and Pecan Spiced Crumble

Ingredients

Pumpkin Muffins

• 330g raw pumpkin (around 2.5 cups), diced into small cubes
• 4 Tbsp. maple syrup or your favourite sweetener (I used stevia for a sugar-free alternative)
• 1/2 cup coconut or almond milk
• Juice and zest of 1/2 a lemon
• 2 Tbsp. tahini
• 1 organic egg or 1 flax egg
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• pinch salt
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1.5 cups buckwheat flour (or sub brown rice flour)
• 1/2 cup desiccated coconut
• 1/2 cup roughly chopped pecans

Lemon Cashew Cream Icing

• 3/4 cup raw cashews
• Zest and juice 1/2 a lemon
• 1/2 Tbsp. maple syrup or your favourite sweetener (I used stevia for a sugar-free alternative)
• Dash of coconut or almond milk

Spiced Pecan Crumble

• 1/2 cup pecans
• 1/2 cup shredded coconut
• 1 Tbsp. coconut oil
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 Tbsp. maple syrup or your favourite sweetener (I used stevia for a sugar-free alternative)

Takes 60 min ,makes 10 muffins.

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F) and line a 10 capacity muffin tin with patty pans. Line a baking tray with baking paper and spread the pumpkin cubes evenly
2. Roast the pumpkin cubes for around 15 minutes until completely soft
3. In the bowl of a high strength food processor or blender, add the roasted pumpkin, maple, lemon juice + zest, tahini, egg, spices and salt. Process until completely smooth
4. Add the baking powder and flour and process again until mixed
5. Stir through the desiccated coconut and pecans
6. Spoon tablespoons of the pumpkin mixture into the patty pans and place in the oven for around 25 minutes. They should be golden and springy when you press down their tops. Inserting a squewer will come out clean once they are cooked through. Remove from the oven and set aside on a cooling rack while you make the toppings
7. In the same food processor, add the raw cashews and blend for around 4-5 minutes until the cashews completely break down and turn into a lovely rich, creamy cashew butter (you may need to pause the processor and scrape down the sides a few times)
8. Add the lemon juice, maple and a tiny dash of milk and process again until smooth. Take out of the processor into a bowl and set aside while you make the crumble
9. In the same food processor, add all the ingredients for the spiced pecan crumble and pulse briefly until the pecans are just broken up roughly, with some good texture left
10. Once the muffins have cooled, use a knife to ice each with the cashew cream, then sprinkle over the pecan crumble and gently press it so it sticks onto the icing
11. Enjoy straight away or store in a sealed container for up to 5 days