Ingredients:

• 1C pureed pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2C brown sugar
• 3T vegetable oil
• 1/4C boiled cider (you can't make it yourself by boiling cider; available at King Arthur Flour online--see substitute above)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice (or 1/4 tsp ground cloves, 1/4 tsp ground ginger and 1 tsp ground cinnamon)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/3 C milk
• 1 1/2C all purpose flour
• 8 oz cream cheese (for filling)
• 1/4C granulated sugar (for filling)
• a few drops of Fiori di Sicilia flavor, optional

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a standard 12 cup muffin pan with muffin papers, and spray the papers.
   Whisk together the pumpkin, eggs, brown sugar, oil, boiled cider or corn syrup, salt, spices, baking powder, baking soda and milk.
   Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Add the flour and mix until well combined.

   Make the filling: place the cream cheese in a microwave safe bowl and heat on low power for 40 seconds. Stir in the sugar and flavor.

   Drop about 2T of the batter into each muffin cup, spreading it to cover the bottom. Dollop on a heaping tablespoon of the filling. Cover with another 2 tablespoons of the batter.

   Bake the muffins for 18 - 20 minutes, until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out crumb-free. Remove from the oven. After 5 minutes, transfer to cooling rack.