Pumpkin Muffins with Cream Cheese Frosting

🎃 Pumpkin Muffins with Cream Cheese Frosting

The photo appears to show soft pumpkin muffins topped with a thick cream cheese frosting and a light crumb topping. Here’s a recipe designed to produce a very similar result.

Ingredients

Pumpkin Muffins

• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• 1½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground nutmeg
• ¼ tsp ground ginger
• ¼ tsp ground cloves
• 2 large eggs
• ¾ cup brown sugar
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ¼ cup milk

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 8 oz (225 g) cream cheese, softened
• ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1½ cups powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt

Optional Crumb Topping

• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tbsp butter, melted
• 1 tbsp finely chopped walnuts or pecans

Instructions

1. Prepare the muffins

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners.
3. In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves.
4. In another bowl, whisk eggs, brown sugar, granulated sugar, oil, pumpkin puree, vanilla, and milk until smooth.
5. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.
6. Mix just until combined. Do not overmix.

2. Bake

1. Divide the batter between the muffin cups, filling each about ¾ full.
2. If using the crumb topping, mix its ingredients together and sprinkle a little over each muffin.
3. Bake for 20–24 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
4. Let the muffins cool completely before frosting.

3. Make the cream cheese frosting

1. Beat softened cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy.
2. Add powdered sugar gradually.
3. Add vanilla and a pinch of salt.
4. Beat until fluffy and smooth.

4. Frost the muffins

• Spoon or pipe a generous mound of cream cheese frosting onto each cooled pumpkin muffin.
• Sprinkle lightly with crushed nuts or crumbs, matching the presentation in the photo.

⭐ Tips for the best texture

• Use pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
• Don’t overmix the batter or the muffins can become dense.
• Cool completely before frosting so the cream cheese frosting stays firm.
• For a stronger pumpkin-spice flavor, add another ½ tsp cinnamon.

Yield: 12 muffins
Prep time: 20 minutes
Bake time: 20–24 minutes
Total time: About 45 minutes