Mmmmm... Pecans!

Maple Pecan Cupcakes with a Butter Pecan Frosting

I love pecans, so I have been thinking about baking these cupcakes for a while now...and I had an itch to bake tonight! These are from Paula Deen's website, although I originally heard about them on Cupcake Project, where else?

Well, since I have been consuming so many cupcakes lately, I am on a diet...so I had to give all but one away to my mom and her co-workers (they are 500 cal. a piece in case you were wondering...i know, yikes!)

Maple Pecan Cupcakes (from Paula Deen)

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup finely crushed pecans 
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup sugar
• ½ cup pure maple syrup
• ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup whole milk
• 1 cup roughly chopped pecans

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. In a medium-sized mixing bowl or bowl of a stand mixer, mix together flour, crushed pecans, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. Mix in the sugar and maple syrup until fully combined.
4. Add the butter and mix on medium-low speed for three minutes. 
5. Mix in the eggs and vanilla until just combined.
6. Mix in the milk until just combined.
7. Fold in the chopped pecans.
8. Bake for 20 minutes or until cupcakes bounce back when lightly touched.

Texture is more like a Muffin than a Cupcake.

Butter Pecan Frosting

• 1 cup + 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup roughly chopped pecans
• Pinch salt
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cooked Buttered Pecans

1. To prepare the butter pecans, melt two tablespoons of butter in a small skillet over medium low heat.
2. Add pecans and salt to the skillet. Cook for six to eight minutes, stirring periodically, until almost all of the butter is absorbed. Remove from heat, but leave in the skillet.
3. To prepare the frosting, in a medium-sized mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, mix remaining one cup of butter on medium-low speed for three minutes or until light and fluffy.
4. Slowly mix in powdered sugar until fully combined.
5. Mix in vanilla until fully combined.
6. Scrape the cooled pecans and any butter left in the skillet into the frosting and fold in.

They were a little hard to frost with the pecan pieces!