Pumkin Spice Muffins w/Cream Cheese Frosting

One of my very favorite things about the arrival of Fall is cooking with Pumpkin. I lurve me some punkin' flavored desserts!!! Pie, cake, pancakes, muffins...bring it on! I got this recipe from Ree Drummond who writes my favorite food blog, The Pioneer Woman Cooks at http://thepioneerwoman.com/ You have GOT to check out her blog. It is incredible! Everything I've made of hers is fab so I was not suprised when these muffins came out great too. Of course, the cream cheese frosting takes them over the top and makes them out of this world good, but the muffins would be great for breakfast/brunch if you leave it off. Now all I need to go with them is a Pumpkin Spice Latte from Starbucks. Yum!

What You'll Need:

(For the muffins)

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces

1 heaping cup pumpkin puree

1/2 cup evaporated milk

1 egg

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

1/2 cup golden raisins (optional!...I omitted these)

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

(For the Frosting)

1/4 cup softened butter

4 ounces cream cheese

1/2 pound powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

What You'll Do:

(For the Muffins)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Generously grease 12 muffin tins.
Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt.

Cut in butter with two knives or a pastry blender until all incorporated.

In a separate bowl, mix together pumpkin, evaporated milk, egg, and vanilla.

Pour pumpkin mixture into the flour mixture. Add raisins. Fold gently until mixture is just combined.

Pour into greased muffin pan—batter hardly ever fills all twelve unless you keep it down to 1/2 full.

Sprinkle generous amounts of cinnamon-sugar over the top of each unbaked muffin.

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

(Frosting)

Mix all ingredients on high until soft and whipped. Spread onto completely cooled muffins, or place into a large pastry bag with a large star tip and go crazy!
Store in fridge, as icing will soften at room temperature.