• Preheat oven to 350°
• Grease or line the tins of cupcake pans

Filling

• Mix cheesecake filling ingredients in a medium sized bowl or bowl of stand mixer until smooth and remove to another bowl to set aside.

Cupcakes

• Wash mixing bowl and return to mixer.
• Add cupcake ingredients to bowl of mixer, and mix on medium speed until just combined and smooth.

Assemble Option 1

• Spoon batter into cupcake tins, filling to just below the top of the pan.
• Evenly distribute cheesecake filling among the cupcakes, being sure to smooth out the filling while keeping it in the center of the pumpkin batter.
• Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean and cupcakes spring back when lightly touched. (Mine took only 20!)
• Allow to cool before serving.

OPTION 2

• Add pumpkin batter to about halfway of each individual cupcake tin.
• Evenly distribute the cheesecake filling among the cupcakes
• Smooth out the filling slightly but take care to keep the filling in the center of the batter.
• Fill the tins with the remaining pumpkin batter and bake for 20-25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Frost when cooled.

Pumpkin Spice Buttercream

• Add butter and syrup to a medium sized bowl or bowl of stand mixer.
• Beat until smooth and combined.
• Gradually beat in the powdered sugar until desired consistency is reached. This will be just enough frosting to pipe onto 12 cupcakes.