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

• Servings: 12 muffins
• Time: 45 minutes
• Print

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

1. 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.
2. Bake 20-22 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of muffin comes out clean. Remove and place on wire rack until cool.
3. 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!