pumpkin surprise muffins

By the amount of pumpkin-related recipes in this online recipe box, you'd think I was obsessed. Truthfully, I'm not that big of a fan. It's about the seasons, and about my home culture. Making pumpkin things is my way to participate in the beautiful autumns of Northeast USA while living halfway around the world. I don't have corn mazes, pumpkin patches, and Ziegler's apple cider, but I can make pumpkin treats. It's like making peppermint things at Christmas and hanging paper snowflakes on my windows. I just love the four seasons, and I love the family memories tied to the seasons.

And it's about spreading love. Some people love pumpkin. And most people love a surprise treat, just because. And expats really like treats that remind them of home. So by sharing pumpkin love, I am allowing others to pretend the leaves outside are changing and they are bobbing for apples, carving pumpkins, and eating candy corn.

PUMPKIN SURPRISE MUFFINS
from Taste of Home

2 cups flour
½ cup plus 3 Tbsp sugar, divided
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
¼ tsp ground ginger
2 eggs
1 cup pumpkin puree
½ cup sour cream
6 Tbsp butter, melted
6 Tbsp apricot preserves, divided
3 oz cream cheese, softened
¼ cup sliced almonds

COMBINE flour, ½ cup sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg and ginger. In another bowl, beat the eggs, pumpkin, sour cream, butter and 3 tablespoons apricot preserves. Stir into the dry ingredients just until moistened. In a third bowl, combine cream cheese and remaining apricot preserves.

FILL greased or paper-lined muffin cups half full. Place a spoonful of cream cheese mixture in the center of each cup. Top with remaining batter.

SPRINKLE with almonds and remaining sugar. Bake at 400°F for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack. Store in refrigerator.