Moist Pumpkin Spice Muffins (With Cream Cheese Frosting)

Recipe by The Pioneer Woman, Ree Drummond
Submitted by Marcia Brisson
http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2009/10/moist-pumpkin-spice-muffins-with-cream-cheese-frosting/









Ingredients
Muffin Ingredients:
1 cup All-purpose Flour
½ cups Sugar
2 teaspoons Baking Powder
1-½ teaspoon Cinnamon
¼ teaspoons Ground Ginger
½ teaspoons Nutmeg
½ teaspoons Salt
4 Tablespoons Butter - Cut Into Pieces
1 cup (heaping) Pumpkin Puree
½ cups Evaporated Milk
1 whole Egg
1-½ teaspoon Vanilla
½ cups Golden Raisins (optional!)
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Topping
2 Tablespoons Sugar
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
¼ teaspoons Nutmeg
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FOR FROSTING:
¼ cups Softened Butter
4 ounces, weight Cream Cheese
½ pounds Powdered Sugar
½ teaspoons Vanilla

Muffin Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Generously grease 12 muffin tins.
2. Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt.
3. Cut in butter with two knives or a pastry blender until it is fully incorporated.
4. In a separate bowl, mix together pumpkin, evaporated milk, egg, and vanilla.
5. Pour pumpkin mixture into the flour mixture. Add raisins.
6. Fold gently until mixture is just combined.
7. Pour into a greased muffin pan—(fill halfway - this is enough for 12 muffins)
8. Sprinkle remaining cinnamon-sugar-nutmeg mixture over the top of each unbaked muffin.
9. Bake for 25 minutes. Allow to cool in pan for 15 minutes, then remove and allow to cool.

Frosting Directions:
1. To make the frosting, mix all ingredients on high until soft and whipped.
2. Spread onto completely cooled muffins, or place into a large pastry bag with a large star tip and go crazy!
3. Store in the fridge, as icing will soften at room temperature.
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This is a great recipe but be sure that the muffins are completely cool before frosting them. The frosting is really rich so I would probably cut it in half or double the muffins.