Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffin

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup brown sugar, packed
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• ¼ cup granulated sugar (for the filling)
• 1 large egg (for the filling)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (for the filling)
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin spice (optional topping)
• 1 tablespoon sugar for sprinkling (optional topping)

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a muffin tin with paper liners or grease it well to prevent sticking.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine softened cream cheese, ¼ cup of sugar, 1 egg, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Beat until smooth and creamy, ensuring there are no lumps. Set aside the filling.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and salt.
4. In another bowl, mix the pumpkin puree, granulated sugar, brown sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract until well combined.
5. Gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, mixing gently until just combined.
6. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the pumpkin muffin batter into each muffin cup, filling them about halfway. Then, add about a tablespoon of the cream cheese filling on top of the batter in each muffin cup.
7. Add another tablespoon of pumpkin batter on top of the cream cheese filling, covering it completely.
8. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
9. Remove from the oven and let the muffins cool in the pan for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Nutrition