Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

Every. Single. Blog. has a post about pumpkin something-or-other right now.  I almost feel silly posting another pumpkin recipe, but here's the thing - fall is ALL ABOUT pumpkin.  And I would be doing fall a disservice by omitting a perfectly good recipe, just to avoid the risk of seeming like a copy-cat.  


If you need something spectacularly fall-like with warm and happy spices, you'll love these cupcakes muffins.  Go on... make 'em.  And share them - your friends/family/neighbors will thank you.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Cupcakes Muffins

(I get to call them muffins because they don't have frosting, right?)

This recipe was adapted from Lick the Bowl Good.

Yield: 24 muffins

Ingredients

- Cream Cheese Filling -

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 cup powdered sugar

1/2 tsp. vanilla

- Muffin -

1 pkg yellow cake mix

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 coconut or vegetable oil

1 can (15oz) pumpkin puree

1/4 cup water

4 eggs

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp ground cloves

- Topping -

1/2 cup sugar

5 Tbsp flour

1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

4 Tbsp cold butter, cut into small pieces

For the filling: Combine the cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla and mix well, until blended and smooth.

Transfer the mixture to a piece of plastic wrap and shape into a log about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Reinforce with foil and place in the freezer for at least 2-4 hours.

For the muffins: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients and mix until well combined.

For the topping: Combine sugar, flour and cinnamon in a small bowl.  Add the butter pieces and use a pastry blender or two forks to cut into the dry ingredients until the mixture is course and crumbly. Transfer to the refrigerator until ready to use.

Assembly: Fill each muffin well with approximately 2-3 Tbsp. of muffin mixture. 

Slice the log of cream cheese mixture into 24 equal pieces. Place one slice of cream cheese into each muffin well.

Divide the remaining batter among the muffin cups, covering the cream cheese completely. Sprinkle a small amount of the topping mixture over each muffin well.

Bake for 20-22 minutes.  Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely before eating and sharing.