DON’T FREAK OUT. But I am calling these muffins.
I know, I know. They have frosting. This seems to solidify a baked good’s identity as a cupcake, but hear me out! The frosting is cream cheese, which you would eat on a bagel which is perfectly acceptable to have for BREAKFAST.
Oh, and there’s also maple syrup in the cream cheese. Another point for breakfast.
ALSO. There is like, a lot of pumpkin in these. Which is a vegetable. Ergo, these are muffins.
And if not, I just gave you some solid arguments for eating cake for breakfast.
Pumpkin Spice Muffins with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting
A 4-ingredient, super moist pumpkin muffin topped with maple cream cheese frosting for the perfect fall (or anytime) breakfast.
Ingredients
- 1 (15 ounce) box yellow cake mix
- 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
- 1 (3.4 ounce) box vanilla instant pudding mix
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 (8 ounce) bar cream cheese, softened
- 2-4 tablespoons maple syrup (see note)
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease muffin tin. Mix cake mix, pumpkin puree, pudding mix, and pumpkin pie spice in large bowl until combined. Divide evenly between muffin tin cups.
- Bake 20-22 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of muffin comes out clean. Remove and place on wire rack until cool.
- Beat together cream cheese and maple syrup in small bowl until smooth. Once smooth, pipe or spread on cooled muffins. Refrigerate if not eating immediately after frosting.
Note: Add maple syrup to your liking. I use 2 tablespoons because I like just a hint of maple flavoring and sweetness. If you want yours to be sweeter, add more. Keep in mind the more you use, the more liquidy the mixture will be!
