An Adventure to the Pumpkin Patch

You've probably realized that there has been an influx of pumpkin related postings. I am sorry.

Ok, I'm totally not. It's fall and pumpkins are abundant. And besides, baking in the fall season without pumpkin anything, is against the law, baking law. So here you go, more pumpkins! Woo!

Lets start this post with a trip I took yesterday with some friends to a local pumpkin patch.

It was pretty fun, but hella expensive. They know how to make you spend your moola. (I can't fathom how much this little excursion would cost for a family of four. Mother-"Ok kids, start scrounging up every penny, nickel, dime, quarter you can." Kid-"Disneyworld!?" Mother-"Pumpkin patch.") You get my drift...

But nonetheless, it was a good time.

We spent the day looking at pumpkins (haha, obviously, Allison)...

Pet some goats...

Shot mini pumpkins...with excellent aim, I must say...

Went through a "haunted barn"...

(My friend One, was terrified.)

Got lost in a corn maize...

And of course, we ate.

And above all else, made some gosh darn memories.

You're craving something pumpkin, right now, I just know it. ;)


These Pumpkin Cream Cheese muffins will take care of said craving, straight up. Pumpkin, cream cheese, streusel topping, what more do I need to say?! Stop reading! Go make some!


Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins
adapted from Annie's Eats
makes about 2 dozen

For the filling:
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 cup confectioners’ sugar

For the muffins:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tsp. ground cloves
1 tbsp. plus 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
4 large eggs
2 cups sugar
2 cups pumpkin puree
1¼ cups vegetable oil

For the topping:
½ cup sugar
5 tbsp. flour
1½ tsp. ground cinnamon
4 tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Directions:
To prepare the filling, combine the cream cheese and confectioners’ sugar in a medium bowl and mix well until blended and smooth. Transfer the mixture to a piece of plastic wrap and shape into a log about 1½-inches in diameter. Smooth the plastic wrap tightly around the log, and reinforce with a piece of foil. Transfer to the freezer and chill until at least slightly firm, at least 2 hours.

To make the muffins, preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Line muffin pans with paper liners. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, pumpkin pie spice, salt and baking soda; whisk to blend. In the bowl of an electric mixer combine the eggs, sugar, pumpkin puree and oil. Mix on medium-low speed until blended. With the mixer on low speed, add in the dry ingredients, mixing just until incorporated.

To make the topping, combine the sugar, flour and cinnamon in a small bowl; whisk to blend. Add in the butter pieces and cut into the dry ingredients with a pastry blender or two forks until the mixture is coarse and crumbly. Transfer to the refrigerator until ready to use.

To assemble the muffins, fill each muffin well with a small amount of batter, just enough to cover the bottom of the liner (1-2 tablespoons). Slice the log of cream cheese filling into 24 equal pieces. Place a slice of the cream cheese mixture into each muffin well. Divide the remaining batter among the muffin cups, placing on top of the cream cheese to cover completely. Sprinkle a small amount of the topping mixture over each of the muffin wells.

Bake for 20-25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely before serving.