Pumpkin Surprise Muffins

Found this recipe in a Taste of Home Christmas book. Looking for a recipe to use pumpkin I put up this summer. Wonder favor tie to them and a surprise.

• Ready In: 35 mins
• Yields: 12 muffins

Ingredients

• 2  cups flour
• 1⁄2 cup sugar, plus
• 3  tablespoons sugar, divided
• 3  teaspoons baking powder
• 1  teaspoon cinnamon
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ginger
• 2  eggs
• 1  cup pumpkin puree or 1  cup canned pumpkin
• 1⁄2 cup sour cream
• 6  tablespoons butter or 6  tablespoons margarine, melted
• 6  tablespoons  apricot preserves, divided
• 1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, cut into 12 cubes
• 1⁄4 cup  sliced almonds

Directions

1. In a bowl, combine the flour, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, ginger. In another bowl, beat eggs, pumpkin, sour cream, and 3 tablespoons preserves. Stir in dry ingredients just until moistened.
2. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups half full. Place a cream cheese cube and 3/4 teaspoon of preserves in each. Top with remaining batter. Sprinkle with almonds and remaining sugar.
3. Bake at 400°F for 20-25 minutes. Cool 5 minutes before removing from pan to wire rack.