Pumpkin Muffins with Maple Cream Cheese Icing

 

It has been an amazingly beautiful fall day today.  I spent a few hours outside watching University field hockey games, went for a walk and then came home and made these really yummy muffins.  The muffins are good on their own and would also taste great with some chocolate chips, raisins or with a nice crunch from some walnuts or pecans; but the Maple Cream Cheese Icing is so over the top and so good with these muffins I would definitely suggest giving it a try  I used pepitas to top the muffins with and they give a nice textural crunch.  Pepitas are found inside the hull of the white pumpkin seeds and I bought mine at the bulk barn. 

Pumpkin Muffin Recipe

2 cups all-purpose flour 

2 tsp baking powder 

1/4 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp ground cloves 

pinch salt

¼ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled 

3/4 cup packed brown sugar 

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

3/4 cup canned pure pumpkin 

1/4 cup plain yogurt   

1 cup chocolate chips, or raisins, or chopped walnut/pecans - optional

Cream Cheese Icing

4 oz cream cheese (1/2 package), softened

1/4 cup butter, room temperature

1 tbsp maple syrup 

2 cups icing sugar

3 tbsp pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  

Grease and line a standard muffin tin.   Whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and salt.  Set aside. 

In a bowl whisk the eggs.  Slowly add the melted cooled butter.  Add the brown sugar and vanilla and whisk.  Whisk in the yogurt and pumpkin.    Switching to a spoon, slowly add the flour mixture being careful not to over mix.   

Spoon a scant ¼ cup into each muffin tin and bake for approximately 20 minutes, turning the pan once.  Let cool.

To make the cream cheese icing use a stand mixer or hand held mixer.  Combine the cream cheese and butter together, beating on high for approximately two minutes or until the mixture is creamy and free of lumps.  Add the maple syrup and combine.  Add the icing sugar in 4 additions beating on high in between each addition.  

Spoon a generous amount of cream cheese icing onto each cupcake and smooth out using a palate knife.  Sprinkle the top with pepitas.

Makes 1 dozen muffins.