Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

I have definitely missed the smell of pumpkin baking in my kitchen. After going a little pumpkin crazy this past fall, I haven't opened a can since then. I am not really sure why though. People generally shy away from baking with pumpkin outside of pumpkin season, which is during the fall. But why not bake with pumpkin all year round? There is no reason to wait for a good thing. I might not bring pumpkin to a July 4th party, but there is no reason I can't enjoy it myself throughout the year.  Plus, I might have stocked up in December. With about 10 cans in my pantry, I really have no choice but to put it to good use.

These muffins were one of the best things to come out of my kitchen this past fall. I didn't think I could make a better pumpkin muffin, but these pumpkin cream cheese muffins give them a run for their money. Mostly due to the addition of cream cheese in the center of each muffin. Pumpkin and cream cheese are a great combination. I almost always choose cream cheese frosting to top my pumpkin cupcakes. So it is no surprise that I loved the addition of cream cheese in these muffins. It is the perfect tangy complement to the sweet pumpkin muffins. They might take a little longer to make than your typical muffins, but the extra steps are certainly worth it. 

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins
from Annie's Eats (originally adapted from Bakespace)
yield: 24 muffins

Filling:
8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cups confectioner's sugar

Muffins:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp  ground nutmeg
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tbsp + 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
4 large eggs
2 cups sugar
2 cups pumpkin puree
1 1/4 cups vegetable oil

Topping:
1/2 cup sugar
5 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
4 tbsp unsalted butter, cold and cut into pieces

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two muffins pans with paper liners. Set aside.

For the filling: In a large bowl, combine the cream cheese and confectioner's sugar. Mix until smooth and combined. Transfer the mixture to a piece of plastic wrap. Shape the mixture into a log about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Cover the log with the plastic wrap and reinforce with a piece of tin foil. Transfer to the freezer and allow it to chill for at least 2 hours.

For the muffins: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, pumpkin pie spice, salt and baking soda. Set aside.
Using a stand mixer, combien the eggs, sugar, pumpkin puree and vegetable in the bowl of the mixer. Mix on medium speed until fully combined.
With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix until just combined.

For the topping: In a small bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour and cinnamon. Add the pieces of butter and cut into the dry ingredients with a pastry blender or your hands. The mixture should be coarse and crumbly. Place the bowl in the refrigerator until use.

Fill each muffin cup with a spoonful of batter, just enough to cover the bottom of each liner. Slice the log of cream cheese into 24 equal pieces and place one piece into each muffin cup. Divide the remaining batter among the muffin cups. Make sure that the cream cheese is covered completely.  Sprinkle the the topping mixture over each muffin cup.
Bake for 20-25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.