Caramel - Banana Muffins With Cream Cheese

From Midwest Living magazine: "Sugar-topped banana slices caramelize as they bake on top of these sweet breakfast muffins."

• Ready In: 30 mins
• Serves: 6-12
• Yields: 12 muffins

Ingredients

• Small Bowl for Filling or Topping Ingredients

• 1⁄2 cup  chopped pecans
• 2  tablespoons sugar
• 1  teaspoon cinnamon

• Large Bowl for Muffin Ingredients

• 3  ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1⁄4 cup butter, softened
• 2⁄3 cup sugar
• 1  egg
• 1⁄2 cup  mashed banana
• 1  teaspoon vanilla

• Another Bowl for Dry Ingredients

• 1 1⁄4 cups flour
• 3⁄4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1⁄4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1⁄4 salt

• Other Stuff

• 2  tablespoons  caramel topping
• 1  medium banana, very thinly sliced
• 1  tablespoon butter, melted
•  caramel topping, for later

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375. Grease muffin tins (12 holer).
2. Mix small bowl ingredients; set aside.
3. Mix cream cheese, butter & sugar until well-blended; add egg, beat, then banana & vanilla until well combined; set aside.
4. Combine dry ingredients; add to cream-cheese mixture until JUST combined.
5. Stir in 1/4-cup of filling ingredients; spoon HALF of batter into muffin tin cups (1 rounded tablespoon); drizzle 1/2 tsp caramel topping (from Other Stuff list) into each muffin cup; top with more batter.
6. Finish with 2 slices of banana, a drizzle of melted butter and a sprinkle of the remaining pecan mixture.
7. Bake for 18-20 minutes; cool for 5 minutes (well, try to wait that long!); remove from pan.
8. Serve warm, drizzled with more caramel topping.