A great debate is raging: Are muffins, in the words of one pastry chef, "just an excuse to eat cake for breakfast," or are they an entirely different animal?

A quick check of The Oxford Companion to Food by Alan Davidson (Oxford University Press, 1999) was all it took to set the record straight.

It turns out that muffins, from French moufflet or "soft bread," originally referred to English muffins, which were leavened with yeast, shaped into rounds and cooked on griddles. "The inside should be like honeycomb," said Hannah Glasse, the famous 18th-century British cookbook writer.

The transformation to what Mr. Davidson calls, "American muffins" came when bakers began making small, round cakes, usually made with baking powder, a small amount of sugar, and fruits, nuts, or savory ingredients.

Cupcakes, however, are downsized sweet dessert cakes, usually frosted and decorated.

These pumpkin cheddar muffins have no identity crisis. With cornmeal, poblano peppers, and sharp cheddar cheese and sporting a savory streusel topping, they're perfect paired with a hearty vegetable soup or chili for fall.

PUMPKIN CHEDDAR MUFFINS

Streusel Topping:

1 tablespoon butter

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Q cup finely shredded extra-sharp Cheddar cheese

1 tablespoon brown sugar

e teaspoon cayenne, or to taste

Q cup roasted salted pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

Muffins:

Cooking spray

1 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 cup stone-ground yellow cornmeal

1/4 teaspoon salt

21/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 egg

3/4 cup buttermilk

1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar

3 tablespoons butter, melted

3/4 cup mashed cooked pumpkin

2 roasted poblano peppers, peeled, seeded and finely diced, or 1/4 cup chopped canned green chiles

Heat oven to 400 degrees. To prepare streusel, combine butter and flour with a pastry blender until crumbly. Add cheese, brown sugar and cayenne. Stir in pepitas. To prepare muffins, spray a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray. Combine flour, cornmeal, salt, baking powder and baking soda in a large bowl.

Combine egg, buttermilk, sugar, butter and pumpkin; whisk well. Stir into flour mixture. Add poblanos and stir gently. Spoon into muffin cups. Sprinkle streusel topping over each muffin. Bake 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.

Makes 12 muffins.

NUTRITION PER (1-MUFFIN) SERVING: 190 calories, 9 grams fat, 6 grams protein, 24 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams fiber and 300 milligrams sodium.

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