I found a recipe on allrecipes.com for a 2 ingredient muffin (quick bread) mix - 1 can of pumpkin + 1 box of spice cake mix. I headed out to the store, but sadly the spice cake mix was on sale and was all sold out. I went to Trader Joe's instead and got a box of truffle brownie mix and a can of organic pumpkin. Per some of the user comments on allrecipes.com, I added 2 eggs, the box of mix and the can of pumpkin and stirred until smooth. It filled 12 muffin cups.

The muffins are FANTASTIC, very fudgey and moist. The original box of mix called for 2 eggs and an entire stick of butter, substituting the pumpkin (130 calories for the can) instead of the butter (800 calories for the stick) seemed like a great option.

It was super easy and tastes amazing, I plan to try it with spice cake mix next time and I will report back!

I just read about someone else doing this. I love my pumpkin puree

And did you know that pumpkin puree you buy in stores isn't really pumpkin? I was reading about it the other day, it is another winter squash that has slightly better texture qualities and tastes like pumpkin.

AHHHH--HAH!!!

Last year at thanksgiving I roasted and pureed a sweet pie pumpkin and it tasted NOTHING like solid pack and the texture was MUCH more fibrous so I didnt use it for pie. Glad to know I am not high!

That muffin sounds great!

A co-worker made this a couple of months ago. She used the spice cake mix and the can of pumpkin - no eggs. I thought it was wonderful - of course I think anything sweet is wonderful since I have it so seldom. She cooked it in a silicon bundt cake pan in the microwave (!!).

They sound yummy Glory 87 I,ll have to give them a try.

Hey Glory and Tammy just checked out you progress photos you guys look amazing I needed inspiration today and I just got.

JULS

I don't use a cake mix, but pumpkin-as-fat-replacement is a dessert staple for me these days. My favorite is whole wheat flour, cinnamon, splenda, nutmeg, ground clove, and a couple tablespoons of chocolate chips mixed with enough pumpkin to form a dough. Makes an amazing cake, hands-on prep time of less than 5 minutes, and its mostly healthy ingredients.

That sounds great Amanda. Sounds like you cook the way I do - just toss it in until it looks/feels/tastes right You don't use anything to make it rise?

I'm looking forward to trying desserts occasionally. Right now I'm afraid to eat sweets of any kind. I just think my brain won't distinguish good carbs (agave nectar or stevia in my house) from sugar. I'm just really nervous about doing anything to get myself off track. Once the holidays are over (and there's less temptation) I'll experiment a little though and this recipe is going on top of my list.

I am looking forward to desserts myself but I'm waiting until after the new year. I have some clothes to fit in before I go on vacation at the end of the year and I don't want to start experimenting with sweets before then

One use of pumpkin I am amazed with is in Saag. I tried making "healthy" saag a couple years ago with light yogurt and it really sucked and tasted nothing like saag. amazingly, using pumpkin, actually makes it taste like real saag (but you have to let it set overnight for the best flavor). I got that from the "veganomicon" cookbook.

I tried the same recipe with butter pecan cakemix.. The kids gobbled them up! But yours sounds better! Also good with chocolate cake mix.

Interesting about the canned pumpkin not really being pumpkin!

How are cake mix recipes nutritionally? Any hydrogenated oils or HFCS? I haven't used a cake mix in a long time, but if it's not bad, I may try it. Thanks

Some are, some arent. At TJ's or whole foods you can find some even with Whole wheat. Label reading just like anything else!

Cyndi - good eye! That is how I cook, and I did leave out the baking powder. Otherwise they'd be hockeypucks!