Pumpkin Patch Mini-muffins (or Cupcakes)

Total Time: 35 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons butter, at room temperature (unsalted)
• 2 cups sucanat or 2 cups light brown sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree (1-15 oz can)
• 3 cups flour
• 1/4 cup ground flax seeds
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• cinnamon sugar (optional)
• butter, to grease pan (unless using silicone)

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 350°f.
• 2 in the meantime, cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer. (sucanat is grainier than sugar and won’t cream the same way—the recipe will work fine so long as the sucanat and butter are well mixed.).
• 3 add eggs, vanilla, applesauce, and pumpkin to butter-sugar combo and mix well on low speed.
• 4 combine all dry ingredients in a separate bowl.
• 5 slowly add to the wet ingredients while continuing to mix on low speed.
• 6 fill each well of a greased, 1-ounce mini muffin tray half way.
• 7 add a ¼ tsp dollop of cream cheese on top of batter.
• 8 finish filling each well to the rim.
• 9 sprinkle each muffin with cinnamon sugar.
• 10 bake for 18-20 minutes. muffins are done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean (except for some cream cheese filling)!
• 11 allow muffins to cool in tray for about 5 minutes.
• 12 remove from tray and finish cooling them on a baking rack.