In early September, I saw someone announce the fall season on social media. In addition to people pointing out that it was too early for the announcement, the word police corrected the person with the word autumn. Since both terms are correct, we can call the season whatever we prefer. I think autumn is a pleasant sounding word, so I’ll use it for the rest of this post. Whatever you call it, these Pumpkin Spice Muffins are a perfect little celebration of the season. They have just the right amount of warm spices, making them so fragrant that your kitchen will smell like cozy autumn heaven.
I originally made them in mini loaf pans, but I thought they would be cute as muffins too. They’re so cute and delicious that I often give them as holiday gifts. This year I decided to try them in ramekins and I loved the results! I used 6-ounce ramekins, but you can use 8-ounce ramekins, any size mini loaf pans, a muffin pan or even an 8 or 9-inch loaf pan. Keep in mind that baking times will differ. To find the ramekins I used, click here.
Pumpkin Spice Muffins with Caramel Filling
Ingredients
Pumpkin Spice Mini Loaves
- 1 ½ cups (191g) all purpose flour, sifted
- 1 ¼ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- â…› teaspoon ground nutmeg preferably freshly ground
- 1 pinch ground cloves
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup (200g) brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup (225g) pure pumpkin purée
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- â…“ cup (100g) caramel sauce, purchased or homemade
- ¼ cup (28g) roasted, salted shelled pumpkin seeds
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 3 ounces (85g) cream cheese, softened
- 6 tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, softened
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 pinch fine sea salt
- 2 cups (240g) powdered sugar, sifted
- 1-2 teaspoons heavy cream, room temperature
Instructions
Pumpkin Spice Mini Loaves
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Grease and flour seven 6-ounce ramekins or six 8-ounce ramekins or any mini loaf pans of your choice.
- In a large bowl, sift together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, nutmeg and cloves until well blended.
- In a separate large bowl, beat the butter and brown sugar together, with an electric mixer at medium speed, until pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until incorporated. Beat in the pumpkin purée and vanilla extract until well blended. Stir in the flour mixture just until combined.
- Divide the batter evenly into the prepared ramekins. Bake for 15-25 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Do not overbake.
- Cool completely if serving in ramekins or remove from pans after cooling for 10 minutes. Continue to cool on wire rack.
- Make 3/4-inch wells in the center of each muffin. Fill with caramel sauce. (For loaves, poke multiple holes with a skewer. Fill with caramel sauce.) Top with cream cheese frosting and pumpkin seeds
Cream Cheese Frosting
- In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter together, with an electric mixer at medium speed until smooth and well blended. Do not over beat.
- Add the vanilla extract and salt and beat until combined. On low speed, gradually beat in the powdered sugar incorporated. Add the heavy cream and continue beating at low speed smooth. Remove any bubbles by gently stirring with a spatula.