Pumpkin and Cream Cheese Muffins with Pecan Streusel

This Fall has come so quickly. I had wanted to try some new recipes that had flavors of the season. I feel like I need to forgo that thought and move onto getting new recipes for Christmas. If I really started thinking about it, I would become stressed and overwhelmed because I generally bake a ton of cookies for clients, friends and family.  And....I must not forget my annual "Cookie Bake" with my girlfriends. Well, enough of my stressing....

I recently got back on the baking band wagon and tried Ezra Pound Cake Pumpkin and Cream Cheese Muffins with Pecan Streusel.  They were packed with flavor and totally delicious!  Normally, pumpkin recipes can be flat in flavor and not spiced up enough.  Not these!

Pumpkin and Cream Cheese Muffins

Adapted from “Country Living” and Annie’s Eats
Makes 24

Filling:

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla

Streusel:

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup pecans, chopped finely
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Pumpkin Batter:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 cups solid-pack pumpkin (or 1 1/4 cups fresh pumpkin puree, drained)
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two 12-cup standard muffin tins or use paper liners. Set aside.
2. Cream Cheese Filling: In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese and confectioners’ sugar until smooth. Add the vanilla, and blend to combine. Form the mixture into a log on a piece of plastic wrap, wrap it, and freeze it for about an hour. (I did not do this...the cream cheese mixture never set up and I just put the cream cheese mixture in a bowl in the freezer and then scooped out the mixture with a cookie scoop to put into the batter).
3. Pecan Streusel: In a medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, pecans, butter, and cinnamon. Set aside.
4. Pumpkin Batter: Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and spices in a large bowl.
5. In a medium bowl, lightly beat the pumpkin, eggs, oil, and vanilla.
6. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture, and pour the pumpkin mixture into the well.    Mix with a fork just until moistened.
7. Remove the cream cheese from the freezer, and divide it into 24 slices.
8. Evenly divide half of the batter among the muffin cups. Place 1 slice of the cream cheese log right in the center of each cup, pressing the cream cheese gently into the batter without submerging it. Fill with the remaining batter.
9. Sprinkle some of the pecan streusel on top of each muffin.
10. Bake until golden, about 20 to 25 minutes. Cool on wire racks.