Pumpkin Nectarine Muffins with Maple/Clover Honey Cream Cheese Frosting

I'm dead.

Really. This is my ghost typing. I made these muffins and this frosting completely from scratch, completely of my own recipe, and then I died.

My daughter loves the pumpkin muffins they have seasonally at Dunkin Donuts and I've been getting her one or two a week. Her and her baby brother (and the floor) (and the dog) share them and they're all happy. But then I realized 1) I was spending way too much money on something I can make myself and 2) They can't possibly NOT be filled with chemicals and processed stuff.

So today when she asked to stop at DD, I instead said we were going to the foodstore to buy pumpkin and that we'd bake our own together. THEN, because I'm a self-proclaimed reduced-produce whore, I saw a package of six nectarines for $0.50! I HAD to have them. But they were super-ripe as all the food on this section is so you need to cook/eat them that day. I had no intention of making anything with nectarine and there was no way my little family could eat them in one day.

I had a thought: What if I somehow used them with my pumpkin muffins I had intended on making? And this recipe was bred. You're welcome.

What you need:

For the wet muffin mixture:
(You only need 2 1/2 c. of pumpkin mixture. You may have more depending on the size of your nectarines, so make sure not to use too much.)

2 c. can pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
3 very ripe nectarines (I suppose you could use peaches as well)
1 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice (this is a combination you can buy that has cinnamon, clove, nutmeg)
1/4 c. sweet white wine (or applejuice)

For the rest of the muffin:
1 stick softened butter
1 c. packed brown sugar
1/3 c. white sugar
2 large eggs
2 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

For the frosting:
8 oz. pkg. cream cheese (room temp)
1 c. powdered sugar
1/2 stick butter (softened)
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 c. real maple syrup (OR 1/2 tsp. maple extract)
2 large tbsp natural clover honey (we use local organic)

What you do:

-Peel and chop up the nectarines:


(Please note that I made a double batch, so it looks like more than you'll have)

-Place in pot with white wine, brown sugar, and vanilla. Cook covered on low, stirring/mashing for around 10 minutes, until reduced. It should look like this:



-Let cool for a few minutes, then add in pumpkin and spices:



-In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and set aside.

-In a mixing bowl, beat softened butter, brown sugar and white sugar until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add in eggs and beat another 3 minutes.

-Alternate adding in flour mixture with wet pumpkin mixture. You only need 2 1/2 c. of pumpkin mixture. You may have more depending on the size of your nectarines, so make sure not to use too much.



-Pour into lined muffin cups (this is so much easier for clean up)



-Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until passes the toothpick test.

-To make the frosting, simply beat all ingredients together on high for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy.



-Frost cupcakes and dash with cinnamon if desired.
(Note: Personally, I do not frost all of these muffins at once. Cream cheese frosting should be refridgerated when not being eaten soon and I don't like cold muffins. So I keep the frosting in the container and frost the muffins as needed.)

-Let your biggest critic try.



-Get approval



-Try a piece yourself, die, come back as a ghost and immortalize recipe on the internet.



Now if I could only find someone to clean my KitchAid, I'd be set. Ugh