Description
These Pecan Pie Pumpkin Cupcakes combine the rich flavors of pecan pie with the moistness of pumpkin cupcakes, topped with a salted maple cinnamon frosting for a delicious treat.
Ingredients
Scale
- Pecan pie filling
- 110g packed dark brown sugar
- 30ml light or heavy cream
- 1 large egg
- 0.5 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 0.125 teaspoon salt
- 85g coarsely chopped pecans
- 15ml golden corn syrup
- Pumpkin cupcake batter
- 175ml pure pumpkin puree
- 100g granulated sugar
- 55g packed dark brown sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 80ml vegetable oil
- 5ml pure vanilla extract
- 142g all-purpose flour
- 0.75 teaspoon baking powder
- 0.5 teaspoon baking soda
- 0.25 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 80ml whole milk
- Salted maple cinnamon frosting
- 113g salted butter, softened
- 30ml maple syrup
- 5ml pure vanilla extract
- 160g powdered sugar
- 0.25 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 30ml cream
- Decoration
- Mini chocolate chips, for stems
- Chocolate chips, for melting
Instructions
- Combine dark brown sugar, cream, egg, vanilla extract, salt, and pecans in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring continuously, until the mixture begins to bubble and thickens, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, transfer to a clean bowl, and cool completely. Refrigerate until well chilled, then stir in corn syrup.
- Set oven to 175°C. Line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.
- In a large bowl, whisk pumpkin puree, granulated sugar, dark brown sugar, eggs, vegetable oil, and vanilla until smooth. Sprinkle in baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Add flour and mix gently until partially incorporated, then add milk and whisk until smooth.
- Divide batter evenly among the prepared liners. Bake for 16–20 minutes, until the surface is firm to touch and a skewer inserted into the centre emerges clean. Let cupcakes cool completely on a wire rack.
- In a large bowl, beat softened salted butter with maple syrup using an electric hand mixer until light and creamy. Add one-third of the powdered sugar and beat smooth; repeat with the second third. Add vanilla extract, cinnamon, and half the cream; continue to beat until light and fluffy. Incorporate remaining cream and the last third of the powdered sugar, whipping until the frosting is ultra-fluffy and pale.
- Using a small paring knife, remove a circular section from the centre of each cupcake, cutting down about 2 cm to create a small well. Fill each well with approximately 1 teaspoon of the chilled pecan filling.
- Spread salted maple cinnamon frosting over each filled cupcake. Slice the base off each cake core to create flat-bottomed rounds. Melt chocolate chips to create an edible ‘glue.’ Attach a mini chocolate chip to the flat top of each core piece to mimic a pumpkin stem, then gently set these atop each frosted cupcake to garnish.
Notes
- Make sure to refrigerate the pecan pie filling well before using it to ensure it holds its shape.
- Feel free to adjust the sweetness of the frosting by adding more or less powdered sugar to your taste.
- Decorate the cupcakes immediately before serving for the best presentation.
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cupcake
- Calories: 300
- Sugar: 30g
- Sodium: 180mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 40mg