Baking Dessert

Pumpkin pie muffins with maple cream cheese

Name: Pumpkin pie muffins recipe
Yield: 12
Ingredients: 150g wholemeal plain flour; 1 tsp baking powder; 1/2 tsp bicarb soda; 120g pumpkin seeds (pepitas); 30g bran; 1 tsp ground cinnamon; 1/4 tsp ground ginger; 1/4 tsp allspice; 1/4 tsp cloves; 2 eggs, at room temperature; 120g caster sugar; 230ml sunflower oil; 240g peeled butternut pumpkin, finely grated; 300g cream cheese; 60ml maple syrup; 1 tsp vanilla bean paste

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Pumpkin pie muffins with maple cream cheese — Rochelle Eagle

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by Michael James

Sep 26, 2024

"One day, Pippa was pootling around the kitchen, trying to think of something to bake, and decided to pull out all the little jars and see what she could make. Half a jar of pepitas plus some bran, a bit of butternut pumpkin and the remains of a packet of cream cheese were reminiscent of pumpkin pie, and so this muffin was born." - Michael & Pippa James

Recipe note: You’ll need a 12-hole muffin tray

This is an edited extract from Sweet Seasons by Michael & Pippa James (Hardie Grant Books, RRP AUD$50). Available September 3, 2024.

150g wholemeal plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp bicarb soda
120g pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
1/2 cup (30g) wheat bran
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp cloves
2 eggs, at room temperature
120g caster sugar
230ml sunflower oil
240g peeled butternut pumpkin, finely grated

Cream cheese frosting

300g cream cheese
1/4 cup (60ml) maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla bean paste

Method

1.

Preheat oven to 190°C/170°C fan-forced. Line a 12-hole muffin tray.
2.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, bicarb and 1/4 tsp fine salt, and whisk with a fork to mix them through and knock out any lumps. Add the pepitas, bran and spices, and mix well.
3.

In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk together eggs and sugar on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes, until pale and fluffy. With the mixer still running, slowly drizzle in the oil. Continue to mix until the oil is well incorporated.
4.

Fold the flour mixture into the egg mixture, mixing until just combined. Add the grated pumpkin and gently fold it through. Spoon the mixture into your muffin tray and bake for 25-30 minutes. The muffins are ready when they’re golden brown and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
5.

Meanwhile, make the cream cheese frosting by combining the cream cheese, maple syrup and vanilla in a food processor. Whiz until well combined and nice and smooth, with no lumps.
6.

When the muffins are completely cool, spoon some of the frosting onto each one and spread it over the top.

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Recipe Notes

If you’re keeping these over several days, store the muffins at room temperature in an airtight container, and keep the frosting in the fridge. Add the frosting just before eating.