Pumpkin Bran Muffins with Jam Centers

This month for cupcake hero the theme is squash! As you know I made spaghetti squash muffins last night they were good but these are even better!! yum!! So I'm putting these up for the cupcake hero vote! As for the jam I used in these, you'll have to bribe April or myself for the jams... both are super tasty :)

pumpkin bran muffins... i mean cupcakes... with jam centers
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
dash salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup bran flakes (i like to do 3 big handfuls, crumble them in your hand before filling with next handful)
1/4 cups splenda brown sugar (packed)
1 egg
1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree -- fresh or canned
about a 1/4 cup really good jam (i used home made raspberry jam made by yours truly, and a peach vanilla bean made by the wonderful April from abby sweets!)

mmmm close up

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (325 convection). Spray muffin tins with non-stick oil. Sift together flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and spices. In separate bowl, beat together brown sugar, pumpkin puree, and the egg. Slowly add dry ingredients to pumpkin mixture. Beat well, until smooth. Stir in crushed bran flakes. Fill muffin tins two-thirds full. Make a little dent in the middle and fill with a dollop of jam. Bake 20-25 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center of muffins comes out clean.

mmmmmmmmmmm I love pumpkin... yum

chow!

i'm making myself hungry with all these close ups!