Nutella Filled Pumpkin Muffins

I like to look at foodie magazines when I am at the gym.  I have a great ability to read and run at the same time. Looking at food pictures and recipes gives me great motivation to keep on going.  Don't ask, it just works for me.  Recently I was eying the holiday baking issue of Better Homes and Garden.  They had this scrumptious looking recipe for Chocolate Filled Sweet Potato Cupcakes. I wanted them, needed them, had to have them.  Immediately.

When I got home I realized I had no sweet potatoes and no chocolate kisses.  Bad luck was on my side.  As I said before, I wanted them, needed them, had to have them.  Immediately.  No time for a grocery store run.  I improvised and out came Nutella Filled Pumpkin Muffins.  You can call them cupcakes if you add some Nutella Frosting.  For me they are muffins in the morning and cupcakes in the evening.  Nuff said.

Nutella Filled Pumpkin Muffins

Ingredients:

2 cups whole wheat flour

1 tsp cinnamon

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup (2 sticks) margarine, at room temperature

1 1/4 cups white sugar

1 15 oz can pumpkin puree

3 eggs

1/4 cup coconut milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 cup Nutella (I probably used more than this.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.

Combine margarine and sugar in mixer with flat beater attachment at medium speed until light and fluffy.

Add eggs and beat again to combine.

Add milk, vanilla extract and pumpkin.  Beat again, scraping down the sides of the bowl to get everything fully incorporated.

Add flour mixture and beat until just combined. Do not overmix.

Spoon batter into muffin tins. Carefully use two spoons to put in the Nutella.  One spoon shifts the batter while the other plops in the Nutella.  Gently fold batter over Nutella.  Bake cupcakes for 15 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cupcakes cool completely on a wire rack before frosting. 

Cupcakes will stay fresh for 3-4 days when stored in the refrigerator. Makes 24 cupcakes. 

Frosting optional: I used extra Nutella.

This is just to prove that I didn't lick every last bit off of the spoons.   I did lick my fingers. Don't worry, my germs won't spread outside the family.   Mr. J liked them so much he said I had to promise not to give any away until he gave the OK.  I think he was still mad about me taking the oversize Snicker doodles into the office for coworkers. I am not sure he realizes at this point there are still 12 muffins left and I am going to be gone.

Plop them into the microwave for a quick 10 second pick-me-up and you are good to go.  Finger licking good I tell you.

I don't miss the Hershey kisses one bit.  I think the Nutella fits in just fine.