Spiced 'Tree Pumpkin' (Persimmon) Muffins #MuffinMonday

Earlier in the year I saw a post from one of my favorite bloggers - Wendy at A Day in the Life on the Farm - and I realized that they've been having a muffin party for years without me. LOL. I emailed the host, Stacy of Food Lust People Love and got the scoop: "...last Monday of the month and no themes. We've been baking together since August 2015! Only one rule, you must use the muffin method (folding wet ingredients with dry - no creaming butter and sugar, etc.) to bake muffins."

I've been happily joining in for months now. This month, this is the muffin line-up...

• Banana Nut Muffins from Making Miracles
• Cherry Almond Muffins from Zesty South Indian Kitchen
• Chocolate Chip Sweet Potato Muffins from Passion Kneaded
• Cinnamon Sweet Potato Muffins from Palatable Pastime
• Dark Chocolate Coffee Muffins from Food Lust People Love
• Lemon Lavender Muffins from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Small Batch Chocolate Chocolate Chip Muffins from Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Spiced 'Tree Pumpkin' (Persimmon) Muffins from Culinary Adventures with Camilla

Spiced 'Tree Pumpkin' (Persimmon) Muffins

Years ago I was at an event where the dessert course was a gingerbread cake was served with cubes of fresh persimmon scattered over the top. One of the people at my table inquired, "What's a persimmon?" 

Before I could answer, another person answered, "It's a tree pumpkin."

I almost spit my wine out I was laughing so hard. But it made sense! Ever since, my family and I jokingly call these 'tree pumpkins.' And whenever I see them sold on branches, I buy them for our table.

So, when a friend gave me a bag full of tree pumpkins this week, I decided to turn them into muffins for a quick weekday breakfast. I made these gluten-free because that's the flour I had in the cabinet, but you can substitute regular flour.

Ingredients makes a dozen muffins

• ½  cup organic dark brown sugar + more for sprinkling
• 3 eggs
• ½ cup buttermilk (you can use whole milk yogurt instead)
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• ½ teaspoon ground allspice
• ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper
• 1-3/4 cup flour
• 2-1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 2½  cups persimmon, peeled and diced
• ¾ cup sliced almonds (you can substitute whatever kinds of nuts you have on-hand)
• Also needed: muffin pan, paper muffin liners

Procedure

Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.

In a medium sized mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, buttermilk, olive oil, and sugar. Add in the spices, flour, and baking powder. Stir until just moistened.

Fold in the almonds and persimmons. Scoop into paper lined muffin hollows, about three-quarters full. Sprinkle tops with additional dark brown sugar.

Place pan in the oven and bake for 26 to 28 minutes. The muffins should be a nice burnished brown. let them cool in the pan for 5 minutes before serving.

Serve warm, although they are just as good cool.