Yes — pumpkin again. Once October arrives I always crave pumpkin-flavored treats. I contribute to the Well Fed Network’s Just Baking site a few times a month, and while browsing there I spotted a photo of muffins that looked irresistible. The recipe came from a baker named Rachelle, who combined three recipes into one to create these Crumb-Topped Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins. The flavors are reminiscent of a pumpkin roll. I made a smaller batch so my partner and I could each take some to work. They were easy to make and delicious.
Crumb-Topped Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins adapted from Rachelle’s blog
Muffins
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp ground cloves
4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
Pinch of cardamom (optional)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
4 large eggs
2 cups granulated sugar
2 cups cooked or canned pumpkin puree
1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
Cream Cheese Filling
6 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Crumb Topping
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
To make the cream cheese filling: beat the softened cream cheese with the sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Set aside.
For the crumb topping: in a medium bowl combine the flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt. Stir in the melted butter and pinch the mixture until pea-sized clumps form. Set aside.
Prepare the muffin batter by mixing the dry ingredients with the spices and baking soda, then adding the eggs, sugar, pumpkin, and oil until just combined. Fill greased or lined muffin tins three-quarters full. Add 1–2 teaspoons of the cream cheese filling into the center of each muffin and lightly swirl to marble (you can use a plastic bag with the corner snipped as a piping bag). Top each muffin with about 1 generous tablespoon of the crumb topping.
Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 20–25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the muffin (avoiding the cream cheese center) comes out clean. Cool in the pans for five minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Recipe yields about 24 muffins.
