Pumpkin Muffins

This is a tutorial (with pictures!) on how to make pumpkin muffins. Okay, maybe not really a tutorial, but Laura issued a Chal-lenge! (with a capital c, folks) several weeks ago and I was supposed to not only do the challenge, but also document it. But I did neither. So booo! on me. This is my attempt to redeem myself. And, because part of the challenge was to make the baked goods for someone outside of your family, I'm bringing (most of) them with me to Pittsburgh tomorrow and giving them to Brad's mother and other various family members.

Last year or the year before I became outrageously addicted to Starbucks' cream-cheese-filled pumpkin muffins. Not great for either me or my wallet. So I decided, hey, why not look it up online and see if I can just make them at home? And indeed, some other addict had done all the work for me and recreated the recipe. Huzzah! I made them last year and they turned out pretty well. Just as addictive as Starbucks' (thankfully), and they were a big hit at my company Christmas gift exchange last year. So I told my mom if she bought these cute little paper cups with flags (see above), I would make the pumpkin muffins again. Here they are.

The flour and spices sifted together. I don't know that sifting makes a huge difference, but I do it anyway, to seem like a better chef, I guess.

I love me some Trader Joe's. It's been a sad transition these past few months to be without it in Lancaster county, since I always did about 90% of my grocery shopping at "the Joe" (as Brad calls it) in Pittsburgh. But Mom and I made a special trip to the (weirdly snobby) one in Delaware this past weekend. These cans of organic pumpkin puree? 99 cents a piece. Awesome possum.

Adding the wet ingredients to the dry.

Now I know this isn't stunningly beautiful or appetizing, but you have to freeze the cream cheese into a log before cutting it up to stick in the middle of the muffins more easily.

Whoa! That Kitchen Aid mixer is fast.

All ready to go into the oven. I think next time I'll try to remember to put the pumpkin seeds as close to the cream cheese as possible, because they kind of disappear after baking if they're too close to the edge.

Fresh out of the oven! They smelled heavenly.

With their little flags. Aren't they just so cute. The recipe made 2 dozen and one muffins. The loner was in the oven while this photo was being taken.

The recipe:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves
• 4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (see note)
• 1 pinch cardamom (optional, I didn't use it)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 cups pumpkin
• 1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
• 8 ounces cream cheese (see note)
• pumpkin seeds or walnuts or pecans (all optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Put the entire brick of cream cheese on a piece of wax paper or parchment paper and shape it into a long log.
3. Put it in the freezer while you mix and fill the pans, up to an hour.
4. Unwrap and cut with a sharp knife so each cream cheese disk equals 1-2 teaspoons. If the cream cheese disks are too big around, cut thick slices and then cut them in half. This lets you push it down into the batter easier.
5. Mix all ingredients together (except cream cheese and nuts).
6. Fill muffin tins (greased or paper cups) half full.
7. Put cream cheese disc in the middle, pressing down.
8. Sprinkle with 1 tsp chopped nuts.
9. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean from the muffin part (do not touch the cream cheese!).
10. Let cool in pans for 5 minutes, then remove to racks to cool completely. Do not touch the cream cheese until it cools.
    
    
    Note: If you don't have pumpkin spice mix, like I didn't, here is the substitution: 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon + 1/4 tsp ground ginger + 1/8 tsp ground allspice + 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg = 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
    
    
    Note: I found that the cream cheese was a little too cream cheesey last year, so this year I let it thaw a bit before whipping 1/4 cup confectioner sugar with the cream cheese and then freezing into the log form. I think this helps reduce the more pungent flavor. I just had one and it is good for me, but still not very sweet. I think you could probably add as much as 1/3 or even 1/2 cup of confectioner sugar if you really like it sweet.