Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

I found this recipe (annie's eats) a while back and knew I had to make them. Unfortunately, I have that urge on almost any cupcake/muffin I come across, especially if it contains pumpkin. So after a quick raid of my mother's pantry I had all the ingredients needed in order to bake. Try 'em, see what ya think.



Filling Ingredients:
8 oz cream cheese, softenend
1 c powdered sugar


Muffin Ingredients:
3 c flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp ground cloves
1 Tbsp plus 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
4 eggs
2 c sugar
2 c pumpkin (not pie filling mix)
1 1/4 c vegetable oil


Topping Ingredients:
1/2 c sugar
5 Tbsp flour
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
4 Tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces


To prepare filling, combine cream cheese and powdered sugar in a medium bowl and mix well until smooth. Transfer mixture to a piece of plastic wrap and shape into a log (about 1 1/2 inches in diameter). Put in the freezer and chill until slightly firm.



To make the muffins, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin pan with paper liners. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, pumpkin pie spice, salt and baking soda; whisk to blend. In the bowl of an electric mixer combine the eggs, sugar, pumpkin and oil. Mix on low speed until blended. With the mixer on low speed, add dry ingredients, mixing just until incorporated.



To make the topping, combine the sugar, flour and cinnamon in a small bowl and blend together. Add in the butter pieces and cut into the dry ingredients with a fork until the mixture is course and crumbly.



To assemble the muffins, fill each muffin cup with a small amount of batter, just enough to cover the bottom of the liner. Slice the log of cream cheese filling into 24 equal pieces. Place a slice of the cream cheese mixture into each muffin cup. Divide the remaining batter among the muffin cups, placing on top of the cream cheese to cover completely. Sprinkle with a small amount of the topping mixture over each muffin.



Bake for 20-25 minutes. Transfer to wire rack and let cool completely before serving. And let it cool all the way because the cream cheese filling is very, very hot.