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1
Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. The shelf on which you'll be baking the mini-loaves should 1/3 up from the bottom. Using a bit of vegetable oil, grease a standard muffin tin.
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2
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, soda, salt and spices listed for the muffins.
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3
In a small bowl, work together the ingredients for the streusel topping using your fingertips until thoroughly mixed. It's perfectly okay for there to be small bits of butter.
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4
Warm the oil until it's hot to the touch. I do this in my Pyrex 1-cup measure in the microwave on full power for a minute. If you don't have a microwave, you can skip this step.
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5
In a large bowl, stir together the warm oil, molasses, brown sugar, cocoa and vanilla and beat until well blended. Add the eggs. Beat vigorously until thick, glossy, and thoroughly combined. (Tip: If you measure the molasses in the same measuring cup that you used to measure the oil, the molasses will slide right out.)
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6
Stir half of the pumpkin puree into the wet ingredients. Add half of the dry ingredients and stir to blend. Stir in the remaining pumpkin puree and the applesauce.
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7
Add the remaining flour and the chopped nuts to the batter. Stir until combined, but do not overbeat.
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8
Spoon into the muffin tin. The cups will be nearly full. Sprinkle on the streusel topping.
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9
Bake for 25 - 28 minutes. Check by touching the center of a muffin gently with your index finger. If it springs back up, the muffins are ready. If not, bake for another 2 - 3 minutes and check again. Remove from the oven, let cool in the tin for at least 5 minutes, and then gently remove to a cooling rack.
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10
Enjoy! ;o)
