Apple Upside Down Muffins

With Thanksgiving just around the corner and autumn on my mind and in my heart, baking with apples and pumpkin seems to be playing center stage in the kitchen. We've had Pumpkin Cinnamon Chip Scones, pumpkin ginger pancakes, apple crisp, pumpkin pie, and now Apple Upside-Down Muffins.

Apple Upside-Down Muffins

from Country Baking by Gooseberry Patch

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1/4 cup plus 3 Tbsp butter, divided

1/2 cup buttermilk*

1 egg, beaten

1 cup apple, peeled, cored and grated

1/3 cup brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup pecans, chopped

Combine flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.

With pastry cutter, cut in 1/4 cup butter. Combine buttermilk and egg and add to flour mixture, along with apple; stir to moisten. Over low heat, melt remaining butter in a small saucepan and stir in brown sugar. Spoon one teaspoon brown sugar mixture into each cup of a greased 12 count muffin tin. Add pecans to each muffin cup. Spoon batter into cups and bake at 375 degrees for about 20 minutes. Remove from pan and serve nut side up. Makes 12 muffins.

*Note: if you don't have buttermilk, you can substitute by adding a little bit of vinegar or lemon juice to regualr milk.