Pumpkin Spice Muffins with Cream Cheese Filling

A bakery in my hometown serves a version of this muffin that is my father’s all-time favorite, so I made a gf/vegan adaptation. I envision them being served warm with a cup of coffee on a brisk fall morning. I usually start by making the filling first and letting it chill while I mix up the batter.

Cream Cheese Filling:

1 12-oz container extra firm silken tofu
1 8-oz containers vegan cream cheese
¼ tsp salt
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 c powdered sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
*If you’re feeling daring, you can make a Lemon-Ginger filling by replacing the 2 tsp of vanilla with 2 tsp of ginger and adding another tbsp of lemon juice.

1. Drain as much water as possible off of the tofu.
2. In a blender or food processor, cream all ingredients together until smooth.
3. Put in refrigerator to chill and thicken.

Muffins:

1 15-oz can of packed pumpkin
½ c canola oil
1 c brown sugar
1 tbsp cinnamon
½ tsp clove
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp flax seed meal in 1/3 c warm soymilk
1 c rice flour
½ c sorghum flour
1 tsp xantham gum
1 tsp baking soda
1tsp baking powder

4. Mix pumpkin, oil, brown sugar, and spices until blended.
5. Warm 1/3 c soymilk and allow 2 tbsp to dissolved in it for several minutes. Whisk with a fork and combine with other wet ingredients.
6. In a separate bowl, mix flours, salt and xantham gum.
7. Slowly mix dry ingredients in with wet.
8. Grease and flour a muffin pan or line with paper liners.
9. Pre-heat oven to 375°F.

10. Fill each muffin cup half-way trying to make something of hole in the middle with higher sides toward the edges. Drop a good-sized dollop of the cream cheese filling in the center, trying to keep it from touching the sides of the pan. Cover with batter so that muffin cups are about 2/3 full.
11. Bake at 375°F for 17 minutes. Test for doneness with a knife or toothpick, bake a few minutes longer, if necessary.