Monday, October 1, 2012

Cream Cheese Filled Pumpkin Muffins

It's officially pumpkin season! I decided to usher in the season by making Cream Cheese Filled Pumpkin Muffins from Marlene Koch's Eat More of What You Love each averaging only140 calories per muffin, a whopping 70% less calories then the pumpkin muffin at your favorite coffee establishment which has roughly 490 calories!  The below recipe will yield 12 muffins.

INGREDIENTS:
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons less-fat, tub-style cream cheese
2 teaspoons powdered sugar
4 teaspoons plus 3/4 cup granulated sugar baking blend sweetener (i.e. Splenda), divided
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1 large egg
2 large egg whites
3/4 cup canned pumpkin
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
3 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons molasses

 DIRECTIONS:
 Preheat oven to 375*.  Line 12 muffin cups with liners.

In a small bowl, blend the cream cheese, powdered sugar and 4 teaspoons of sweetener.  Mix thoroughly and then set aside.  In a medium bowl, whisk the next six (6) ingredients - flour through cloves.

In a medium bowl, with an electric mixer, beat the 3/4 cup sweetener, egg and egg whites for 3-4 minutes, or until doubled in volume.  Turn the mixer to low, and blend in the pumpkin, applesauce, oil and molasses.  Using the large spoon, stir in the flour mixture just until the dry ingredients are combined.

Spoon into each muffin cup, 3 tablespoons of batter.  Make an indent into each each muffin and spoon in a heaping teaspoon of the cream cheese mixture into the batter.  Top each muffin with another tablespoon of batter, spreading it to cover most of the cream cheese. (Note: don't worry if you don't have any extra batter).

Bake for 18-20 minutes or until the center springs back when lightly touched.  Cool for 5 minutes before moving muffins to a wire rack for complete cooling.