Jack Daniels Kumquat Walnut Muffins

with Heavenly Cream Cheese Frosting

Are they muffins or cupcakes? I always wonder what IS the difference … are they cupcakes if you frost them? Or is there some other mysterious secret I’ve never quite discovered that elevates the simple muffin to cupcake status?

Well these little gems are hearty and healthy, like a muffin so you could have them for breakfast, with just a bit of decadence from the Jack Daniels and the heavenly cream cheese frosting … so you could totally eat them for dessert. Or enjoy them with a cup of tea for a mid-afternoon snack. I don’t drink whiskey, but ever since I visited Tennessee and found The Jack Daniels Cookbook, I LOVE the flavor it brings to baked goodies.

So what makes these cupcakes so healthy? Well, there’s whole wheat flour and omega-3-rich flaxmeal, a bit of heart-healthy olive oil and some little bites of sunshine: kumquats

• Kumquats are eaten along with the peel, a unique feature that differentiates them from other citrus family fruits. The peel is rich in many essential oils, antioxidants, and fiber.
• Fresh kumquats are packed with numerous health benefiting poly-phenolic flavonoid antioxidants such as carotenes, lutein, zeaxanthin, and tannins. The kumquat peel is composed of many important essential oils including limonene, pinene, α-bergamotene, caryophyllene, α-humulene, and α-muurolene. Together these compounds impart that special citrus aroma.
• Kumquats are also low in calories and provide a good source of vitamins B & C as well as modest amounts of calcium, copper, potassium, manganese, iron, selenium, and zinc.

Source: Nutrition and You.

Me? I had them for breakfast. I did share with my friends too, who all agreed they were quite yummy and VERY pretty.

Jack Daniels Kumquat Walnut Muffins with Heavenly Cream Cheese Frosting

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: 12 - 15 muffins 1x

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 1/3 cup 1 % or skim milk
• 1/3 cup Jack Daniels Tennessee Whiskey
• 2 eggs
• 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup flour
• 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/4 cup flaxmeal
• 1–1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon EACH: ground cloves, ground cardamom, and nutmeg
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 3/4 cup pureed kumquats
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts and/or pecans, toasted
• About 3 Tablespoons raw sugar for the top

For the frosting:

• 3 oz. Greek yogurt cream cheese, softened (or light cream cheese)
• 1 Tablespoon butter, softened
• 1/3 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 Tablespoon Jack Daniels
• 1 – 3 Tablespoons lowfat milk

For the top: extra toasted walnuts and wedges of kumquat

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Spray a 12-spot muffin tin with cooking spray (or use cupcake liners)
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine milk, Jack Daniels, eggs, oil, and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients and stir until well mixed. Fold in the pureed kumquats and toasted nuts.
3. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin pan, filling each muffin spot almost to the top. If you still have batter left, get out another muffin pan. (I had enough for about 15 muffins.) Sprinkle the tops with a bit of raw sugar.
4. Bake at 350 for about 25 – 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
5. In a small bowl, mix together the cream cheese and butter, then stir in the rest of the frosting ingredients. Get out the mixer and beat the frosting until smooth and creamy. Add more milk to get to the desired consistency.
6. When the cupcakes are cool, frost them with the frosting and sprinkle with a few extra toasted walnuts. Garnish with little wedges of kumquat.

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Notes

RECIPE SOURCE: http://www.sumptuousspoonfuls.com/

© Copyright 2014, Sumptuous Spoonfuls. All images & content are copyright protected. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If you want to publish any of my images, please ask first. If you want to republish this recipe as your own, please re-write the recipe in your own words or link back to this post for the recipe.

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Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 muffin

This recipe was shared at Saturday Dishes: Pastries & Baked Goods, Sunday Dinner Party, Weekend Potluck, Munching Monday, Manic Monday, Melt in Your Mouth Monday, Recipe Sharing Monday, Marvelous Monday, Mix it Up Monday, Treasure Box Tuesday and Buttercream Bakehouse Rainbow Party.