Moist Pumpkin Spice Muffins with Cream Cheese Frosting

One of my new favorites is The Pioneer Woman! She grew up as a "City Girl", fell in love with a Cowboy & now lives on a ranch with him & their four children. She started a Blog a couple of years ago... which resulted in a beautiful cookbook at Barnes & Noble, and as of this past August, her own FoodNetwork show! She can't replace my beloved Ina Garten (aka the Barefoot Contessa), but she is a close 2nd!

I had never made anything using "Pumpkin" before, & told myself that this Fall I would. I came across this recipe, gave it a try, & they were seriously SO GOOD! Super, super moist & of course the cream cheese frosting made them even more yummy!

Here is her recipe! Be sure to check out her Blog posting though. She has great step-by-step photos (as she does with almost all of her recipes!).

Moist Pumpkin Spice Muffins with Cream Cheese Frosting

Muffin Ingredients:
1 cup All-purpose Flour
1/2 cup Sugar
2 teaspoons Baking Powder
1-1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon Ground Ginger
1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon Salt
4 Tablespoons Butter, cut into pieces
1 cup (heaping) Pumpkin Puree (NOT pumpkin pie puree)
1/2 cup Evaporated Milk
1 whole Egg
1-1/2 teaspoon Vanilla

Topping:
2 Tablespoons Sugar
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg

Frosting:
1/4 cup Softened Butter
4 ounces Cream Cheese
1/2 pound Powdered Sugar
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla

Preparation Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Generously grease 12 muffin tins.

Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, & salt. Cut in butter with two knives or a pastry blender until it is fully incorporated. In a separate bowl, mix together pumpkin, evaporated milk, egg, & vanilla. Pour pumpkin mixture into the flour mixture. Fold gently until mixture is just combined.

Pour into a greased muffin pan. Sprinkle with remaining cinnamon-sugar-nutmeg mixture over the top of each unbaked muffin.

Bake for 25 minutes. Allow to cool in pan for 15 minutes, then remove & allow to cool. Ice with cream cheese frosting.

To make the frosting, mix all ingredients on high until soft & whipped. Spread onto completely cooled muffins. Store in the fridge, as icing will soften at room temperature.

*Recipe courtesy of The Pioneer Woman.

Moist Pumpkin Spice Muffins with Cream Cheese Frosting