Carrot Pumpkin Muffins w/ Cream Cheese Filling

Oh boy, these were good!  I decided to replace some of the carrot with pumpkin as I am obsessed with all things pumpkin lately.  They weren't as carrot-y as these muffins (which were really yummy too).  And the cream cheese was so yummy in the middle, almost like delicious carrot cake, but healthier!  I of course made my typical changes to the recipe and yum, we devoured these quickly!  Recipe via Pinterest from The Delicious Life.

Yields about 16 muffins

Ingredients:

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour (or could use all-purpose flour)
1½ tsp. baking soda
1 tsp.baking powder
½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. nutmeg
3/4 cup sugar (recipe calls for 1 cup)
3 eggs
2/3 cup vegetable oil (I used 1/3 c. butter, 1/3 c. olive oil)
1 cup shredded carrots
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Optional:  1/2 cup raisins (I didn't use these)
For filling:
4 oz. softened cream cheese
1 egg yolk
1/4 cup sugar (original had 1/2 cup)
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Method:

Preheat oven to 350.

Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and sugar.

In a separate bowl, beat eggs, and oil (and butter if using) until lightened. Stir in shredded carrots, pumpkin, walnuts, and raisins if using (that have been soaked for 10 minutes in hot water or warmed rum, if you’d like).

In another bowl, cream softened cream cheese with egg yolk, sugar, and vanilla.

Fold the dry ingredients into the egg/oil mixture. Stir until just combined. Fill muffin cups about 3/4 full. Plop a generous teaspoon of the cream cheese filling on top of the batter in each muffin cup.  I sort of used my spoon to fill it down into the middle of the cupcakes...other wise it will spread out over the top while baking.

Bake about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake part comes out clean.