Cream Cheese-Filled Pumpkin Muffins

Directions

1. Make the muffins:
2. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line a muffin pan with baking cups.
3. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and pumpkin pie spice. Set the bowl aside.
4. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, then add the pumpkin and mix until combined.
5. Alternately add the dry ingredients and water to the bowl, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Blend the batter well, scraping down the sides as needed. Spoon a portion of the muffin batter into each cup filling it 3/4 full.
6. Make the cream cheese filling:
7. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the cream cheese, sugar, egg and vanilla. Transfer the cream cheese mixture to a piping bag or sealable plastic bag and snip off the tip. Pipe about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the cream cheese mixture into the center of each muffin cup.
8. Bake the muffins for 18 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow the muffins to cool in the pan for 5 minutes then transfer them to a rack to cool completely.