Sunday, November 6, 2011

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

As September came to a close, I felt the urge to bake all things pumpkin. The baking was easy enough, but blogging about it is so time-consuming! And then I started a new job where I sit at a desk with a computer all day, so I never want to come home and write.

Side note: WHOA. Hold the phone. I haven’t posted since September, so some of you might not know what’s been happening in my life. Long story short, I got into a car accident that totaled my car—it wasn’t my fault and I’m okay, but my little Nissan Sentra didn’t fare so well. Then my mentor and favorite professor from Saint Mary’s passed away so very suddenly. I went home for the services, which were wonderful and really helped me gain closure. The trip home was also good because it allowed me to lease a new car with the help of my parents. Thanks Mom and Dad, I love the Hyundai! :) Anyway, upon my return to San Diego, I got the call with a job offer! I started applying and interviewing for this position around the last time I blogged. And now I am a Student Advisor at California College San Diego. Woo hoo employment! I love my new job, my coworkers, and my paycheck! :)  



Okay, so now that we are all updated on my life, let’s try to get this blog updated. Last fall, I wanted to make the Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins that Starbucks sells. (This was before I had this blog.) They are absolutely delicious, but not always worth the price. When I first made them, I didn’t like how the frosting turned out, so this time around I decided to do something different. Previously I used the method of rolling the filling into a thin log, freezing it, cutting it into small pieces, and baking it into the muffins…SO tedious. This time I just piped the frosting in using a decorating tip, which turned out pretty well.

You really can’t go wrong with these muffins. Although, I’m not really sure you can call them muffins when there is absolutely no doubt that I piped a ton of frosting into them. Wouldn’t that just make them cupcakes? But they are breakfast appropriate. Hmm sounds like an identity crisis to me. Anyway, enjoy them any time of day…whether you call it a muffin or cupcake.

Pumpkin Muffins
3 large eggs
1¼ cup milk
¾ cup butter, melted
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 15 ounce can of pumpkin
¾ cup sugar
¾ cup light brown sugar, packed
2½ cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons grated or ground nutmeg
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground ginger

Preheat oven to 400° F. Grease muffin pan or line with paper or foil liners.

Combine eggs, milk, butter, and vanilla together.
Admittedly, this doesn't look appetizing. Haha. But it gets better!!
Add pumpkin, sugar, and brown sugar until thoroughly combined.
Mmm orange foods are awesome. I <3 pumpkin.

Add the dry ingredients with a few light strokes. Do not overmix; the batter should not be smooth.
See? Not smooth. This is just how it should be. Let the lumps live!

Fill muffin cups with batter and bake for 15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool 2-3 minutes before removing from pan and cooling completely on a wire rack.
Fill them up! You are going to put filling in them, so they need to be tall cupcakes!

Honestly, these pumpkin muffins could be left alone. But why would we let them?? :)

Cream Cheese Frosting
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
4 tablespoons butter, softened
2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Combine the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Slowly incorporate the confectioners’ sugar until blended and smooth. Add vanilla.
Standard cream cheese frosting. Always a crowd pleaser. :)

Prepare a decorating bag with a decorating tip for filling cupcakes and muffins. I used the Wilton No. 230 Round Decorating Tip. Fill the decorating bag with about 1 cup of frosting.
Buying a set of 4 decorating tips was a very good purchase!
Insert the decorating tip through the top of the muffin and pipe in frosting. Stop when the top of the muffin just barely cracks or you can see frosting coming out.
Making filled cupcakes is really this easy. Love it!! <3
Can you imagine anything more delicious??

Adapted from Joy of Cooking, Sunset, and my family cookbook. :)

Thank you so much for reading‼

<3 Buttercup

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