Pumpkin & Cream Cheese Muffins
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Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 10
 
Ingredients
FOR THE FILLING:
  • 60 g Whipping Cream
  • 140 g Cream Cheese
  • 30 g Granulated Sugar
  • 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
FOR THE CRUMBLE:
  • 55 g Cake Flour
  • 35 g Granulated Sugar
  • 15 g Pecans, roughly chopped
  • ⅓ tsp Ground Cinnamon
  • 30 g Salted Butter
FOR THE MUFFINS:
  • 205 g Cake Flour
  • 6 g Baking Powder
  • ⅓ tsp Bicarbonate of Soda
  • ½ tsp Ground Cinnamon
  • ½ Tbsp Pumpkin Pie Spice (1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon ground ginger, ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves)
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 80 g Eggs
  • 130 g Granulated Sugar
  • 230 g Cooked/Steamed Butternut (250 g raw), mashed up. Cook the butternut as described in the Recipe Introduction.
  • ¼ cup Water, room temperature
  • ½ cup Canola Oil
  • ½ Tbsp Vanilla Extract
Instructions
FOR THE FILLING:
  1. Make the Cream Cheese Filling at least 4 hours before you plan on making the actual muffins. It will need time to freeze solid. This can be done up to 2 weeks in advance if desired.
  2. Whip cream to stiff peaks. Beat in the cream cheese till smooth. Beat in the sugar and vanilla. Allow to stand for 5 minutes so that the sugar can melt. Beat again till smooth. Place in freezer for at least 4 hours.
FOR THE CRUMBLE:
  1. To make the pecan crumble, melt the butter in a heat proof bowl.
  2. Add in the flour, sugar and cinnamon. Stir with a fork to combine thoroughly. There will be some clumps - this is exactly what you want. Stir in the pecans.
  3. Preheat oven to 180˚C/350˚F. Line a standard muffin tin with 10 paper liners; set aside.
  4. Sift together the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, spices and salt in a large bowl. Set aside. At this point also remove your frozen cream cheese mixture from the freezer – this will make it easier to scoop out when the time comes.
FOR THE MUFFINS:
  1. Beat together the eggs and sugar in a large bowl for 1 minute, till pale and fluffy. Add in the vanilla, water, butternut and oil. Whisk to combine. From here on work with a handheld balloon whisk.
  2. Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and whisk to combine well.
  3. Fill your liners about halfway full and keep the rest of the batter for later.
  4. Using a sturdy spoon or ice cream scoop, scoop 23 g of the cream cheese mixture into each case. 23 g is really the ideal amount. More will make it spill over into the oven and less is too sad.
  5. Divide the rest of your batter between the 10 muffins. Be sure to cover all the cream cheese poking out.
  6. Spoon the pecan crumble on top of each muffin. Use all of it. Be sure to spread it out so that all the batter is covered.
  7. Bake at 180˚C/350˚F in the center of your oven for 40 minutes on the regular bake setting. Do not use the convection or thermo-fan setting. TURN THE TIN EVERY 10 MINUTES for a perfectly even bake. Place a large roasting tray underneath the muffins just in case any drippings of cream cheese cook out.
  8. Allow these boys (because they are definitely not girls) to cool for at least 40 minutes before eating. The cream cheese filling gets piping hot in the cooking process.
  9. Eat and enjoy!
Recipe by Philosophy Of Yum Blog at https://philosophyofyum.com/pumpkin-cream-cheese-muffins/