Pumpkin Cream Cupcakes...

My co-worker brought in the yummiest pumpkin cupcakes. She said they were easy to make. That said, right after work I was off to buy the ingredients at the store. I was so excited to make these for family night. There I was, batter all mixed up and cream cheese mixture ready to go. Small problem, I ran out of cupcake liners. At this point I lost my motivation to run back to the store. So instead of cupcakes, I made it as a cake. I poured the cake batter in a 9 x 13 pan. Poured the cream cheese filling on top and swirled it with the cake batter. Baked it a little longer and Viala! Pumpkin Cream cake. Almost just as good - not as much cream cheese filling, but we still managed to scarf it down!

photo curtesy of kraftrecipes.com

Pumpkin Cream Cupcakes

1 pkg. (2-layer size) spice cake mix

1 pkg. (3.4 oz.) JELL-O Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding

1 cup canned pumpkin

1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened

1/4 cup sugar

1 egg

HEAT oven to 350ºF.

PREPARE cake batter as directed on package. Add dry pudding mix and pumpkin; mix well. Spoon into 24 paper-lined muffin cups.

BEAT cream cheese with mixer until creamy. Blend in sugar and egg; spoon over batter.

BAKE 18 to 21 min. or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool 5 min.; remove to wire racks. Cool completely.

Kraft Kitchens Tips: Stir 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg into 1-1/2 cups thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping; spread over cooled cupcakes. Keep refrigerated.