LOW-FAT PUMPKIN SPICE RUM-RAISIN MUFFINS WITH RUM-SPICE GLAZE

These are incredibly light muffins with really good flavor.  Rum and raisins add something special to this muffin -- and the glaze is a perfect complement. Although I used freshly roasted butternut squash, you could easily use canned pumpkin and they will be just as good. Here's an added bonus: this recipe only uses 3 Tbsp. oil, so it's fairly low-fat. There's another 1 Tbsp. fat in the glaze, but comparatively speaking that's pretty good.  Gourmet Magazine's recipe uses 2/3 cup oil.

Pumpkin Spice Rum-Raisin Muffins with Rum-Spice Glaze
Inspired by Gourmet Magazine
Rating:  9.0 out of 10
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MUFFINS:
1 cup raisins

1/2 cup rum
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, whisked, then lightly spooned and leveled
2 cups white sugar, minus 2 Tbsp.
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

1/4 tsp. powdered cloves

1/2 tsp. salt

2 cups freshly roasted butternut squash (or canned pumpkin)

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

3 large eggs

3 Tbsp. oil

2 Tbsp. molasses

1/4 cup flour for raisins

GLAZE: 1 Tbsp. butter

1 Tbsp. reserved rum

1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

1/2 cup confectioner's (10X) sugar

DIRECTIONS: Bring 1/2 cup rum to a boil in a 1-quart pot. Add raisins. Cover. Remove from heat and let raisins plump for at least a half hour or longer. Drain raisins over a measuring cup or bowl, reserving drained juice.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Prepare two 12-cup muffin tins by greasing and flouring, or use flour-added non-stick cooking spray.

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, spices, and salt.  In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk pumpkin and applesauce together till combined.  Whisk in eggs, oil, molasses and 3 Tbsp. of the reserved rum/raisin juice.  (Reserve remaining 1 Tbsp.juice for the glaze.)

Make a well in the dry ingredients and add the liquids all at once. Carefully mix with spoon or spatula till barely combined.  Toss the drained raisins in the 1/4 cup flour. (I put everything in a plastic bag and shook it till all raisins were coated.) Add the coated raisins and remaining flour and give it a quick stir. Fill each muffin well with about 1/4 cup batter.  Place in oven and immediately reduce heat to 350 degrees F.  Bake  for 16-19 minutes.  Muffins are done when a wooden pick inserted near center returns almost clean. Place pans on counter to cool for 5 minutes. Transfer muffins to wire rack to finish cooling.

While muffins are cooling, prepare glaze: Heat rum and butter on high in small bowl in microwave till butter is almost melted, about 35-40 seconds. Stir till butter is dissolved. Add pumpkin pie spice and 10X sugar and whisk together. Drizzle over muffins.  Yield:  24 standard-size muffins