Pumpkin Cheesecake Muffins

Filling:

One 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

3 tbsp. brown sugar

In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth.  Add egg, vanilla and brown sugar.  Beat until well mixed.  Set aside.

Cinnamon Topping:

4 1/2 tbsp. flour

5 tbsp. sugar

3/4 tsp. cinnamon

3 tbsp. butter

3 tbsp. chopped pecans (optional)

In a medium bowl, mix the flour, sugar, cinnamon and pecans.  Cut in the butter until crumbly using a pastry cutter.  Set aside.

Muffin Batter:

2 1/2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. salt

2 eggs

1 1/3 cup pumpkin

1/3 cup canola oil

2 tsp. vanilla extract

In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.  In a seperate bowl mix the eggs, pumpkin, oil and vanilla.  Fold the flour mixture into the wet ingredients until smooth.

Place the pumpkin mixture in paper muffin cups about 1/2 full.  Add one tablespoon cream cheese mixture right in the middle of the pumpkin mixture. Add one tablespoon pumpkin mixture on top of cream cheese.  Sprinkle cinnamon topping over the top of the muffin batter.

Bake in a 375 degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes.  Makes 18 muffins.